Wash Heights, Inwood COVID Rates See An Uptick Amid Delta Spread

UPPER MANHATTAN, NY — Coronavirus rates have risen mildly in Washington Heights and Inwood over the last month, with one neighborhood ZIP code seeing a significant jump — part of a citywide trend that health officials have attributed to the spread of the more contagious Delta variant.

During the week that ended Friday, the percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back positive reached 1.72 percent for Washington Heights and Inwood's four ZIP codes, according to the latest data from the city.

• 10034 (Inwood): 2.19 percent, 684 people tested, 15 positives
• 10040 (Washington Heights/Inwood): 1.41 percent, 707 people tested, 10 positives
• 10033 (Washington Heights North): 1.59 percent, 1,004 people tested, 16 positives
• 10032 (Washington Heights South): 1.69 percent, 1,067 people tested, 18 positives

For comparison, during the week of June 13 through 19 — the positivity rate in the 10034 ZIP code was just 0.36 percent, and the rate in 10040 was 0.35 percent — meaning that the Inwood neighborhood has seen its COVID-19 rate jumped 1.83 percent in the last month.

While the virus rates have risen in Upper Manhattan, the rates don't compare to those seen even in March 2021, when the average COVID-19 rate of the 10034 and 10040 ZIP codes was 6.45 percent.

In another change of the narrative from the majority of the pandemic, the Manhattan ZIP codes currently with the highest COVID-19 rates are all in the lower part of the borough. Specifically, the Financial District has the highest weekly virus rate in Manhattan at 4.79 percent.

The uptick has been most visible in the city's least vaccinated neighborhoods, including several on Staten Island. The Delta variant, estimated to be 50 percent more contagious than the British Alpha variant, made up 45 percent of new cases confirmed through the end of June, according to the city.

"The spread of the Delta variant means that it is perhaps the most dangerous time to be unvaccinated," Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said Monday. "My message is to convey a clear sense of urgency that we have to make sure as many people are as protected as possible in the next few weeks."