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NEW YORK CITY – Extensive testing arrives in Staten Island as the city’s potential second wave of coronavirus threatens to spread for the first time in the Forgotten Borough.
A Tottenville zip code – 10307 – had the city’s highest coronavirus positivity rate last week at 6.57%, according to recently released data.
The high rate comes from 28 positive cases out of 426 people tested. That’s a handful of relative cases compared to some affected neighborhoods, but it’s still a worrying sign for city health officials.
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday reiterated his past commitment to redouble testing and prevention efforts on Staten Island. This will prevent a second wave from hitting the borough and the city, he said.
“We’re going to see a day of action tomorrow on Staten Island,” he said Monday. “And this day of action means a lot of awareness, a lot of mask distribution, a lot of testing. There will be an awareness effort at the ferry terminal and other places on the island.”
NYC COVID-19 Seven-Day Average By Matt Troutman on Scribd
De Blasio has warned that a second wave is knocking on New York’s door. His positivity rate is now over 2% on an average of seven days and he has reached an average of 779 new cases, according to the most recent data.
Previous worrying coronavirus hotspots in Brooklyn and Queens appear to be cooling off. Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday lifted the most restrictive “red zone” label from part of southern Brooklyn – a move that allows non-essential businesses and places of worship to start reopening very slightly.
Cuomo and health officials have not made a decision on whether to apply the color-coded zones to parts of Staten Island if the coronavirus rises.
De Blasio, when asked about many Bronx zip codes currently at 3% or more, said these had climbed up and down while Staten Island had seen a steady increase and therefore more worrying.
Ted Long, who heads the city’s Test and Trace Corps, urged residents of Staten Island to get tested so the city can fight the coronavirus. He said 75 health workers would travel to the island on Tuesday.
“They will be at the ferry, they will be at the Staten Island Mall, they will be at the Brick Town Center in Charleston and they will be at Forest Plaza,” he says. “We want to make testing as easy as possible for you. Again, come to one of our sites for a quick, easy and, of course, free test. You’ll help us win this fight. We’ll see you on Tuesday. “
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