The surge in COVID-19 variant infections in New York City has put public health on high alert for the summer. According to data from the city’s Department of Health, as of March 22, the average number of COVID-19 cases per week was 687, a whopping 250% increase from two months ago.
In addition, an average of 53 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 per day, and an average of one person died. This analysis suggests that the number of infected people is increasing rapidly as we enter the summer.
The city’s Department of Health says that the COVID-19 virus currently spreading is a variant of the Omicron virus, ‘FLiRT’. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms of ‘FLiRT’ infection are like those of the existing Omicron strain. As of July, the borough with the most infections among the five boroughs is Queens, requiring special attention from the elderly and those with weak immune systems.
According to the latest data from the city Health Department as of the 30th of last month, the average number of infected people in Queens is rising sharply, reaching 236 per week. The number of infected people per 100,000 people was also 73.34, nearly 10 more than the five boroughs’ average of 63.5. Following Queens in terms of weekly infections, Brooklyn came in first with 181, followed by Manhattan with 151, the Bronx with 140, and Staten Island with 48.
The number of infected people per 100,000 people was 70.99 in Staten Island, 69.03 in the Bronx, 64.78 in Manhattan, and 49.57 in Brooklyn. Fresh Meadows in Queens was the most vulnerable to infection among the five boroughs, including Queens, with 83 infections per 100,000 people. It was followed by Long Island City-Astoria with 77 people, Bayside-Little Neck with 74 people, Forest Hill-Ridgewood with 70 people, and Flushing-Clearview with 57 people per 100,000 people.
Meanwhile, the city health department stated, “The testing rate is low, so we cannot 100% diagnose the current situation,” and added, “However, recent testing and wastewater testing results show that the current situation is showing a similar surge to last summer.”