The coronavirus has ravaged all of New York City, closing schools, emptying streets and turning stadiums into makeshift hospitals. But data made public by city health officials on Wednesday suggests it is hitting low-income neighborhoods the hardest.
83
104
362
253
638
255
397
108
470
Coronavirus cases by ZIP code
332
BRONX
208
386
264
376
25
306
377
255
308
367
355
302
267
116
227
217
50
10
100
500
1,000
337
106
304
176
170
55
174
126
252
204
290
147
162
110
MANHATTAN
212
59
104
189
190
27
105
211
134
187
121
85
378
331
104
49
144
119
64
116
123
QUEENS
45
492
213
113
947
113
148
121
13
364
288
85
222
166
101
831
101
140
161
318
181
96
106
181
319
68
156
112
418
122
164
195
21
250
405
601
26
163
149
17
25
184
329
293
425
155
216
245
204
151
182
202
260
16
182
117
130
162
183
225
127
358
173
100
350
223
394
332
261
178
267
254
211
162
85
343
85
344
350
264
416
97
771
106
61
386
175
209
631
534
BROOKLYN
86
101
364
289
316
436
251
346
452
178
110
348
STATEN ISLAND
133
143
278
25
146
336
170
67
By The New York Times·Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
During the first month of the outbreak in the city — the epicenter of America’s coronavirus crisis — many of the neighborhoods with the most confirmed virus cases were in areas with the lowest median incomes, the data shows. The biggest hotspots included communities in the South Bronx and Western Queens.
The data, collected by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, offers the first snapshot of an outbreak that infected more than 40,000 and killed more than 1,000 in the city in its first month.
The coronavirus has spread into virtually every corner of the city, and some wealthier neighborhoods have been overrun with cases, including some parts of Manhattan and Staten Island. But that may be because of the availability of testing in those areas. Nineteen of the 20 neighborhoods with the lowest percentage of positive tests have been in wealthy ZIP codes.
The patterns are even more striking when analyzing the data on people who visited the city’s 53 emergency rooms with the “flulike symptoms” that are a hallmark of the coronavirus.
Over all, nearly three times as many people with “flulike symptoms” like fever, cough or sore throat visited city emergency rooms this March when compared with the same month in previous years.
Over the last four years, there were on average 9,250 flu-related visits to emergency rooms in March; this March, the number tripled to about 30,000.
Flu-Related E.R. Visits by ZIP Code
Circles are sized by the number of flu-related visits by residents in each ZIP code.
Average of March
visits in 2016-19
March 2020
By The New York Times·Note: Data shows the rate for E.R. visits per 1,000 people. Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
The increases in flu-related emergency room visits varied widely by neighborhood, with many of the surges occurring among residents of neighborhoods where the typical household income is less than the city median of about $60,000, the data shows.
In Corona, Queens, for example, the median household income is about $48,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That neighborhood is near the Elmhurst Hospital Center, which Mayor Bill de Blasio has cited as the hardest hit hospital in the city. Doctors in the overwhelmed emergency room there have described the conditions as “apocalyptic.”
Visits in Central Harlem were up 220 percent.
BRONX
Corona saw nearly 1,000 more flu-related visits than average.
Where Flu-Related E.R. Visits Have Increased
MANHATTAN
Circles are sized by the increase in the number of flu-related E.R. visits by residents in each ZIP code for the month of March in 2020, compared with 2016-19.
• Yellow circles indicate ZIP codes in which the median household income is less than the city median, which is about $60,000.
• Blue circles indicate areas with higher median incomes.
QUEENS
On the north shore of Staten Island, flu-related E.R. visits doubled.
BROOKLYN
STATEN ISLAND
By The New York Times·Data shows the rate for E.R. visits per 1,000 people. Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Dr. Jessica Justman, an epidemiologist at Columbia University in Manhattan, said the numbers were most likely because many immigrants and low-income residents live with large families in small apartments and cannot isolate at home.
“I think unfortunately this is showing how devastating that can be,” Dr. Justman said.
In New York, experts said, a vast majority of people visiting emergency rooms with flu-like symptoms probably have the coronavirus.
“We’ve actually stopped testing for the flu because it’s all coronavirus,” said Bruce Farber, chief of infectious disease at North Shore University Hospital, part of Northwell Health, a network of 23 hospitals throughout the state. “Almost anybody who has an influenza illness right now almost certainly has coronavirus.”
Many of the emergency rooms with the biggest increases in patients who have flulike symptoms are in Queens, the borough that has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases. There are about 616 confirmed cases for every 100,000 residents in Queens, and 584 confirmed cases for every 100,000 residents in the Bronx. That’s far more per 100,000 than the 376 in Manhattan and 453 in Brooklyn.
With infections across all five boroughs, New York has far more confirmed cases than any other city in the United States.
Coronavirus cases
Coronavirus deaths
3,000
150,000
100,000
2,000
All U.S.
cases
All U.S. deaths
50,000
1,000
New York City
March 1
March 31
March 1
March 31
By The New York Times·Sources: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; New York Times database of coronavirus cases in the U.S.
The emergency room data also tracks admissions — the number of E.R. visitors who end up treated at a hospital. On that metric, the data shows that older visitors are far more likely to be admitted than younger visitors.
There is a simple reason for that difference, according to the hospital officials and experts: The coronavirus seems to take a bigger toll on older people, as well as those with compromised immune systems.
“I don’t think that infection rates are necessarily different between older and younger people,” said Dr. Isaac Weisfuse, the former deputy head for disease control at the city’s Department of Health. “Elderly have worse clinical outcomes than younger patients, and may have more pre-existing conditions.”
E.R. Admissions for Flulike Illness and Pneumonia
Per 100,000 people
Ages 0-17
18-44
45-64
65-74
75+
30
15
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
March
March
March
March
March
By The New York Times·Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Over all, more than 8,500 people have been hospitalized with the coronavirus in New York City. That number is expected to soar in the coming weeks.
But officials are hopeful that the social distancing restrictions put in place by the state may have finally started to at least slow the spread of the coronavirus. They have noted that the number of hospitalizations is now doubling every six days, instead of every two or three days.
The city’s data shows a slight decline in emergency room admissions over last weekend, and then continuing increases this week.
Dr. Denis Nash, an epidemiologist at the City University of New York’s School of Public Health, said it was still too soon to tell whether the social distancing restrictions were working.
“It may be too soon to say what’s really going on here,” he said. “I just hope it means something good.”
Coronavirus Cases by Neighborhood
ZIP code
|
Neighborhood
|
Total cases
|
Cases per 1,000 people
|
|---|---|---|---|
11368
|
West Queens
|
947
|
9
|
11373
|
West Queens
|
831
|
9
|
11219
|
Borough Park
|
771
|
9
|
10467
|
Bronx Park and Fordham
|
638
|
7
|
11230
|
Borough Park
|
631
|
8
|
11211
|
Greenpoint
|
601
|
6
|
11204
|
Borough Park
|
534
|
7
|
11372
|
West Queens
|
492
|
8
|
10469
|
Northeast Bronx
|
470
|
7
|
10314
|
Mid-Island
|
452
|
5
|
11691
|
Rockaways
|
436
|
7
|
11385
|
West Central Queens
|
425
|
4
|
11375
|
West Central Queens
|
418
|
6
|
11236
|
Canarsie and Flatlands
|
416
|
5
|
11432
|
Jamaica
|
405
|
7
|
10468
|
Bronx Park and Fordham
|
397
|
6
|
11213
|
Central Brooklyn
|
394
|
6
|
11210
|
Flatbush
|
386
|
6
|
10453
|
Central Bronx
|
386
|
5
|
11370
|
West Queens
|
378
|
12
|
10462
|
Southeast Bronx
|
377
|
5
|
10461
|
Southeast Bronx
|
376
|
8
|
10452
|
High Bridge and Morrisania
|
367
|
5
|
11234
|
Canarsie and Flatlands
|
364
|
4
|
11377
|
West Queens
|
364
|
5
|
10466
|
Northeast Bronx
|
362
|
5
|
11434
|
Jamaica
|
358
|
6
|
10456
|
High Bridge and Morrisania
|
355
|
4
|
11218
|
Borough Park
|
350
|
5
|
11208
|
East New York and New Lots
|
350
|
4
|
11235
|
Southern Brooklyn
|
348
|
5
|
11223
|
Southern Brooklyn
|
346
|
5
|
11226
|
Flatbush
|
344
|
4
|
11203
|
Flatbush
|
343
|
5
|
10451
|
High Bridge and Morrisania
|
337
|
8
|
10312
|
South Shore
|
336
|
6
|
10458
|
Bronx Park and Fordham
|
332
|
4
|
11207
|
East New York and New Lots
|
332
|
4
|
11369
|
West Queens
|
331
|
10
|
11206
|
Bushwick and Williamsburg
|
329
|
4
|
11374
|
West Central Queens
|
319
|
8
|
11367
|
Central Queens
|
318
|
8
|
11229
|
Southern Brooklyn
|
316
|
4
|
10032
|
Inwood and Washington Heights
|
308
|
5
|
10457
|
Central Bronx
|
306
|
5
|
10473
|
Southeast Bronx
|
304
|
6
|
10472
|
Southeast Bronx
|
302
|
5
|
11435
|
Jamaica
|
293
|
5
|
10029
|
East Harlem
|
290
|
4
|
10304
|
Stapleton and St. George
|
289
|
8
|
10016
|
Gramercy Park and Murray Hill
|
288
|
6
|
10306
|
South Shore
|
278
|
6
|
10465
|
Southeast Bronx
|
267
|
7
|
11225
|
Flatbush
|
267
|
5
|
10033
|
Inwood and Washington Heights
|
264
|
5
|
11220
|
Sunset Park
|
264
|
3
|
11413
|
Southeast Queens
|
261
|
7
|
11221
|
Bushwick and Williamsburg
|
260
|
4
|
10460
|
Central Bronx
|
255
|
5
|
10475
|
Northeast Bronx
|
255
|
6
|
11212
|
Central Brooklyn
|
254
|
4
|
10463
|
Kingsbridge and Riverdale
|
253
|
4
|
10025
|
Upper West Side
|
252
|
3
|
11214
|
Southwest Brooklyn
|
251
|
3
|
10002
|
Lower East Side
|
250
|
4
|
11412
|
Jamaica
|
245
|
7
|
10459
|
Hunts Point and Mott Haven
|
227
|
5
|
11233
|
Central Brooklyn
|
225
|
3
|
11420
|
Southwest Queens
|
223
|
5
|
10011
|
Chelsea and Clinton
|
222
|
5
|
10031
|
Inwood and Washington Heights
|
217
|
4
|
11418
|
Southwest Queens
|
216
|
6
|
11355
|
North Queens
|
213
|
3
|
10128
|
Upper East Side
|
212
|
4
|
10021
|
Upper East Side
|
211
|
5
|
11422
|
Southeast Queens
|
211
|
7
|
11209
|
Southwest Brooklyn
|
209
|
4
|
10040
|
Inwood and Washington Heights
|
208
|
5
|
10024
|
Upper West Side
|
204
|
4
|
11201
|
Northwest Brooklyn
|
204
|
4
|
11421
|
Southwest Queens
|
202
|
5
|
11379
|
West Central Queens
|
195
|
6
|
10023
|
Upper West Side
|
190
|
4
|
10028
|
Upper East Side
|
189
|
4
|
10019
|
Chelsea and Clinton
|
187
|
5
|
11237
|
Bushwick and Williamsburg
|
184
|
4
|
11238
|
Central Brooklyn
|
183
|
4
|
11419
|
Southwest Queens
|
182
|
4
|
11205
|
Northwest Brooklyn
|
182
|
4
|
10009
|
Lower East Side
|
181
|
4
|
11427
|
Southeast Queens
|
181
|
8
|
11215
|
Northwest Brooklyn
|
178
|
3
|
10305
|
Stapleton and St. George
|
178
|
5
|
10455
|
Hunts Point and Mott Haven
|
176
|
5
|
10301
|
Stapleton and St. George
|
175
|
5
|
10454
|
Hunts Point and Mott Haven
|
174
|
5
|
11417
|
Southwest Queens
|
173
|
6
|
10027
|
Central Harlem
|
170
|
3
|
10309
|
South Shore
|
170
|
6
|
11365
|
Central Queens
|
166
|
4
|
11423
|
Jamaica
|
164
|
6
|
11429
|
Southeast Queens
|
163
|
6
|
11414
|
Southwest Queens
|
162
|
6
|
11357
|
North Queens
|
162
|
5
|
11216
|
Central Brooklyn
|
162
|
3
|
10003
|
Lower East Side
|
161
|
3
|
10075
|
Upper East Side
|
160
|
8
|
11378
|
West Queens
|
156
|
5
|
11433
|
Jamaica
|
155
|
5
|
11411
|
Southeast Queens
|
151
|
8
|
11415
|
Southwest Queens
|
149
|
8
|
11101
|
Northwest Queens
|
148
|
5
|
10035
|
East Harlem
|
147
|
5
|
10308
|
South Shore
|
146
|
5
|
11106
|
Northwest Queens
|
144
|
4
|
11694
|
Rockaways
|
143
|
7
|
10014
|
Greenwich Village and Soho
|
140
|
5
|
11354
|
North Queens
|
134
|
3
|
11224
|
Southern Brooklyn
|
133
|
3
|
11217
|
Northwest Brooklyn
|
130
|
4
|
11231
|
Northwest Brooklyn
|
127
|
4
|
10026
|
Central Harlem
|
126
|
4
|
10022
|
Gramercy Park and Murray Hill
|
123
|
4
|
10013
|
Greenwich Village and Soho
|
122
|
5
|
10065
|
Upper East Side
|
121
|
5
|
11004
|
Southeast Queens
|
121
|
8
|
11358
|
North Queens
|
119
|
4
|
11416
|
Southwest Queens
|
117
|
5
|
10036
|
Chelsea and Clinton
|
116
|
5
|
10039
|
Central Harlem
|
116
|
5
|
10001
|
Chelsea and Clinton
|
113
|
5
|
11364
|
Northeast Queens
|
113
|
4
|
11428
|
Southeast Queens
|
112
|
6
|
11356
|
North Queens
|
110
|
5
|
11692
|
Rockaways
|
110
|
6
|
10037
|
Central Harlem
|
109
|
6
|
10034
|
Inwood and Washington Heights
|
108
|
3
|
10303
|
Port Richmond
|
106
|
5
|
10030
|
Central Harlem
|
106
|
4
|
11366
|
Central Queens
|
106
|
8
|
11102
|
Northwest Queens
|
105
|
4
|
10471
|
Kingsbridge and Riverdale
|
104
|
5
|
11105
|
Northwest Queens
|
104
|
3
|
11103
|
Northwest Queens
|
104
|
3
|
10010
|
Gramercy Park and Murray Hill
|
101
|
3
|
11228
|
Southwest Brooklyn
|
101
|
3
|
11426
|
Southeast Queens
|
101
|
5
|
11436
|
Jamaica
|
100
|
5
|
10310
|
Port Richmond
|
97
|
5
|
11222
|
Greenpoint
|
96
|
3
|
11693
|
Rockaways
|
86
|
7
|
11361
|
Northeast Queens
|
85
|
4
|
11104
|
Northwest Queens
|
85
|
4
|
11232
|
Sunset Park
|
85
|
4
|
11239
|
Canarsie and Flatlands
|
85
|
7
|
10470
|
Northeast Bronx
|
83
|
6
|
10038
|
Lower Manhattan
|
76
|
4
|
10012
|
Greenwich Village and Soho
|
68
|
3
|
10307
|
South Shore
|
67
|
5
|
10018
|
Chelsea and Clinton
|
66
|
7
|
11362
|
Northeast Queens
|
64
|
4
|
10302
|
Port Richmond
|
61
|
4
|
11360
|
North Queens
|
59
|
4
|
10474
|
Hunts Point and Mott Haven
|
55
|
5
|
10044
|
Upper East Side
|
49
|
5
|
10017
|
Gramercy Park and Murray Hill
|
45
|
3
|
11363
|
Northeast Queens
|
27
|
4
|
10007
|
Lower Manhattan
|
26
|
4
|
10005
|
Lower Manhattan
|
25
|
3
|
10464
|
Southeast Bronx
|
25
|
6
|
11697
|
Rockaways
|
25
|
8
|
10280
|
Lower Manhattan
|
17
|
2
|
10004
|
Lower Manhattan
|
16
|
6
|
10006
|
Lower Manhattan
|
6
|
2
|
By The New York Times·Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene