Coronavirus Cases Increase In 2 NYC ZIP Codes: NYC Mayor

NEW YORK — The number of COVID-19 cases is rising in two areas of Staten Island, according to city health officials.

The spike is affecting the ZIP codes 10305 and 10314, where more than 3 percent of coronavirus tests are now coming back positive, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday.

A new rapid testing site will open Nov. 12 at the St. George Ferry Terminal, in addition to 10 other testing sites, and the city will deploy 70 additional contact tracers and dozens of volunteers to distribute masks and encourage residents to get tested.

The city is also partnering with Empire Outlets to distribute protective gear.

Officials said the uptick is not large enough to trigger new restrictions and expressed confidence that they could quickly get the situation under control.

"We never want to see an uptick in any community, but, in this case — in your case — we’ve caught it early," Dr. Ted Long, leader of the city's Test & Trace Corps, told reporters Thursday.

Officials said the uptick does not appear to be linked to a single event but may be due to people taking fewer precautions — thanks to pandemic "fatigue" — and an increase in indoor activity as temperatures drop.

"We know it’s been a very long road," de Blasio said. "We constantly have to remind people how important it is to do the basics."