Here's Where The Upper West Side COVID Rate Stands Amid Uptick

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A highly contagious sub-variant is fueling an uptick in COVID-19 cases across the city and country, including on the Upper West Side.

While the rate has gone up on the Upper West Side in recent weeks, the numbers remain lower than the city's 13.96 percent positivity average in the most recent seven-day window.

Here's the COVID numbers for the Upper West Side's three ZIP codes between July 18 and 24.

10025: Upper West Side/Manhattan Valley

• Case Rate: 13.34 percent
• New Positives: 268
• Total Tested: 2009

10024: Upper West Side

• Case Rate: 10.07 percent
• New Positives: 120
• Total Tested: 1,192

10023: Upper West Side/Lincoln Center

• Case Rate: 11.92 percent
• New Positives: 159
• Total Tested: 1,334

The 10025 ZIP code, which stretches from around West 91st to 115th streets, had the highest case rate of the UWS areas by a significant amount.

Overall, though, it pales in comparison to the Queens ZIP code leading the city with a 26.2 percent positivity rate.

The positivity numbers might be over 10 percent on the Upper West Side, but they're still a far cry from the 30 percent rates seen in December and January when the first wave of Omicron came whipping through the city.

In New York and across the U.S., the summertime jump in virus cases has been driven by BA.5, a sub-variant of omicron that has been described as the most contagious strain of COVID-19 yet to emerge. Across New York state, BA.5 made up 80 percent of new cases during the week that ended July 16.

Amid the increase, however, New York's leaders have resisted putting any new restrictions in place. In a news conference on Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York City schools would remain mask-optional in the fall — though the mask mandate for public transit riders would remain in place, she said.

"I'm going to reserve the right to return to this policy if the numbers change, the circumstances change and the severity of the illness has changed," Hochul said of the school rules.

Hochul said fall COVID-19 plans will include a "militaristic" level of preparation.

The state has 20 million at-home tests stockpiled that will be dedicated for students going back to school, she said.

Patch reporter Anna Quinn contributed to this report.