East NY, Brownsville COVID Rates Rise Amid Citywide Uptick: Data

BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN — Brownsville and East New York have not been spared from a citywide rise in coronavirus cases, but the neighborhoods have not seen as dramatic a surge as other parts of the city, data shows.

Seven-day positivity in all but one of the neighborhoods' five ZIP codes stood below the 4.82-percent citywide coronavirus rate at the start of this week, with the highest positivity standing only just above New York City's rate at 5.09 percent, according to health data.

The numbers — though still an increase from a few weeks ago, when rates hovered below 1 percent — were among the lowest of the city's 145 ZIP codes, where positivity has reached as high as 15 percent, according to the data.

In Brooklyn, coronavirus rates were double that of the city's in neighborhoods like Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill and Park Slope.

The widespread rise in cases comes as all of New York City inches from a "low-risk" to "medium risk" coronavirus status, which is determined by a new color-coded alert level system. Health officials have predicted the city will reach the "medium risk" category by early next week.

The steady increase — which is fueled by the even-more-contagious BA.2 subvariant of omicron — could mean new restrictions, though so far both city and state officials have held off on putting mask mandates or other guidelines in place.

Mayor Eric Adams said Monday that New Yorkers are advised to wear a mask in indoor public settings, but that rates have not yet reached the level needed for a full mandate.

Read More: NYC COVID Cases Inch Higher As 'Medium Risk' Status Looms

Still, the latest surge is far from the winter spike caused by the omicron variant, when infections rose to a staggering 50,000 in a single day. Total daily cases had dropped to under 400 several days in February and stand around 2,200 now, data shows.

Here's a look at where positivity rates stand in Brownsville and East New York:

• 1233: Bedford-Stuyvesant (East)/Ocean Hill-Brownsville
  • 7-day percent positive: 4.21%
  • People tested (reported to date): 1,686
  • New people positive (reported to date): 71

• 11207: Cypress Hills/East New York
  • 7-day percent positive: 3.77%
  • People tested (reported to date): 2,201
  • New people positive (reported to date): 83
• 11208: Cypress Hills/East New York
  • 7-day percent positive: 2.84%
  • People tested (reported to date): 2,287
  • New people positive (reported to date): 65
• 11239: East New York
  • 7-day percent positive: 5.09%
  • People tested (reported to date): 373
  • New people positive (reported to date): 19

• 11212: Ocean Hill-Brownsville
  • 7-day percent positive: 2.17%
  • People tested (reported to date): 1,935
  • New people positive (reported to date): 42