West Village COVID Rate Remains Lower Than Majority Of NYC Nabes

WEST VILLAGE, NY — A highly contagious sub-variant is fueling an uptick in COVID-19 cases across the city, including in the West Village and surrounding area.

Coronavirus rates have gone up in the West Village in the last few weeks, but the numbers remain lower than the city's 14.2 percent positivity average.

Here's where the West Village's seven-day COVID rate stands.

West Village/Meatpacking: 10014

• 7-Day positive rate: 9.74 percent
• New people positive: 38
• Number of people tested: 390

The West Village COVID rate is significantly lower than the city's average, but still higher than the lowest numbers seen in the five boroughs. The NYC ZIP code with the lowest seven-day positivity rate is 4.4 percent.

The rates are higher in other parts of Greenwich Village.

The 10012 ZIP code, which includes Greenwich Village and SoHo, had a COVID rate during the same seven-day period of 10.56 percent, according to city data.

The East Village on the other hand posted a rate of 11.59 percent.

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.