COVID-19 infection rate in New York state hot spots 5 times that statewide: governor

A student is informed by a crossing guard of the temporary closure of the public school PS 139 in the Ditmas Park neighborhood in Brooklyn of New York, the United States, on Oct. 8, 2020. The latest coronavirus positivity rate in the 20 hotspot ZIP codes in Queens, Brooklyn, Orange and Rockland counties in New York State was 5.8 percent, more than five times the statewide positivity rate excluding these ZIP codes which stood at 1.01 percent, tweeted Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday. Shutdowns of non-essential businesses, schools and social gatherings in those hotspot areas have gradually taken effect this week under the instructions of the governor and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, though it has triggered criticism and protests from certain groups and some parents. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

NEW YORK, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 infection rate in New York state's hot spots is five times what the rate is statewide, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday.

The top 20 ZIP codes in areas that have seen recent outbreaks, namely Brooklyn, Queens, Rockland and Orange counties, have recorded a 5.1 percent positivity rate of COVID-19 tests, according to Cuomo.

These 20 ZIP codes in the four counties seeing the most serious cluster outbreaks represent 6.7 percent of the state's population, yet 20 percent of all new hospital admissions over the past two weeks, said Cuomo.

Statewide positivity excluding hot spot ZIP codes is 1.05 percent, while the rate is 1.25 percent with hot spot ZIP codes included, he added.

"We've seen time and time again throughout this pandemic -- mass gatherings become a cluster, which can spread and become an outbreak if we don't stop the cluster early," he said.

"These restrictions are better than going back to shutdown, which is what we've seen in states across the nation as the infection rate goes up. As we go through this fall season and tackle these clusters, it's going to take the work of all New Yorkers to maintain our progress and the work of local governments to enforce the rules. We will get through this the way we have so far, by continuing to wash our hands, wearing our masks, remaining socially distant and by being New York Tough," the governor noted.

According to official figures, in the top 20 ZIP codes, 5,311 tests were conducted lately, yielding 271 positives or a 5.1 percent positivity rate. In the remainder of the state, 102,935 tests were conducted, yielding 1,089 positives or a 1.05 percent positivity rate.

"We went through hell in the spring. Mass graves in Hart Island. The endless sound of sirens. We are NOT going to go back. We will not hesitate to take the necessary steps to save lives," said the governor on his Twitter account on Wednesday.

According to the governor, coronavirus hospitalizations statewide totalled 748 and there were eight COVID-19 fatalities on Tuesday.

According to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. coronavirus death toll stood at 211,405 as of Wednesday afternoon, the number of confirmed cases reached 7,525,255, and New York remains one of the worst-hit states in the country.