coronavirus new york

Coronavirus News: Clusters continue to grow in New York state, Cuomo warns

COVID-19 News and Information

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Governor Cuomo talks about the 20 zip codes with an increase in cases

Governor Cuomo says 20 zip codes have seen dramatic increases in COVID-19 cases.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Thursday, the average positivity rate in 20 New York zip codes increased to 6.5%, up a full point from Wednesday. Areas in Brooklyn and Rockland County saw the biggest increases, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

"These 20 hot spots require full attention, effectiveness and action," the governor said.

Parts of Brooklyn have an average positivity rate of 8%. In Rockland County, it's as high as 16%, but the sample size is smaller.

Growing COVID-19 clusters in large Orthodox Jewish communities could spread wider if not quickly contained, Governor Cuomo warned.

Cuomo called on local government to target the clusters.

"A cluster today can be community spread tomorrow," Cuomo said.

Without the hot spot zip codes the state would be at 0.98% positivity, but including the hot spot zip codes the state has a positivity of 1.2%.

20 zip codes account for 26% of all cases in the state, although they represent only 6% of the population.

WATCH: Eyewitness to a Pandemic

The sense of doom grew, especially after March 1, when the first confirmed case arrived in Manhattan. Soon, there was a hotspot in New Rochelle, and small curfews and containment zones across the area offered a hint of a frightening future we still thought we could avoid.