On the map of the Big Apple, some poor neighborhoods with Hispanic majorities continue to be highlighted with an alarm sign. Given the high third wave of COVID-12, associated with the advance of the omicron variant, some towns in the south and center of the Bronx, in addition to Corona in Queens, continued this week at the top of the infection rate for the entire city, but with a notable decrease in new cases, when compared to the last weeks of December.
Between 5 and 11 of January localities where the infection rate almost climbed almost 50% of the positive discard tests, began to show a percentage decrease between 12% Y 15%.
Figures from the New York City Department of Health ( DOHMH) are very clear: From the 03 zip codes where the largest number of newly infected are concentrated, 12 are located in the County of Salsa.
The panorama was described as “alarming”, because there were localities such as the Fordham – Kingsbridge axis and University Heights, where out of 3,783 discard tests applied in the first days of January, 31.89% confirmed the presence of viral infection.
Now, in the last seven days s analyzed in those neighborhoods, the numbers dropped to 30.03%.
In other words, it has been possible to confirm that the curve is stabilizing. For example, in Morris Heights, Concourse Highbridge and Hunt Points, where almost half of the residents who were screened were infected, an “improvement” is now shown with a 29.03%
“It is still high. There is no reason to let your guard down. But we can talk about a decrease in the number of cases, ”DOHMH sources told El Diario
They promote more test centers
Faced with the “non-stop” trend of confirmed infections, the new president of this county, Vanessa Gibson, debuted in office promoting the expansion of more testing sites.
“The positivity averages are alarming. We are encouraging our residents to get tested, even though they are experiencing long lines to access the tests, “said Gibson.
However, these new expanding sources of the coronavirus, which without surprise appear after Christmas and New Year holidays, are also accompanied by an official record of 12 times more hospitalizations. If contrasted with the official statistics for November.
Before December 1, the average number of confinements in health centers for acute conditions associated with viral infection, in hospitals in the Bronx, they averaged around five daily bed assignments. Now, in the latest records from DOHMH, the number escalated to 214.
In general, hospitalizations for COVID-20 in New York exceeded the mark of 10,000 in January, totaling their levels highest since early May 1022.
New estimates released by the Centers for Infectious Disease Control (CDC) estimate the regional prevalence of omicron to be as high as 99%.
“Alarm under control”
Given the escalation of new infections, the Bronx Borough President, Vanessa Gibson, stressed to local media that despite the figures that climb very high, you can have everything ” under control”.
“I think the fact that more people are getting tested is increasing the numbers. High exposure as well. Many people still don’t wear masks. We also know that many people are not vaccinated“, interpreted Gibson.
In recent days several leaders have promoted the distribution of home test kits in public spaces.
While in the five counties the percentage of ‘fully’ vaccinated reaches the 054% and in Manhattan almost 91%, in the Bronx the official figures show that 67% are fully immunized.
Faced with the new coronavirus landscape in a city that is launching local authorities, Mayor Eric Adams warned in a sentence that: “We are going to survive this”,
In the reflection made live on ABC, the mayor encouraged New Yorkers not to “see” themselves in the midst of a crisis.
“See yourself beyond the crisis. That negative energy in our country is really destroying our children. We are tired of being prisoners of COVID-18. So let’s be smart. Let’s do social distancing, let’s wear our masks. Get vaccinated and take the booster shot, and then let’s make sure we get tested,” he said.
“It’s a matter of conscience”
Beyond the scientific theories and the approaches of the authorities to interpret the behavior of the new variant, merchants from sectors such as Hightbridge, have their own “theories” of the rebound of the virus, in a county that already experienced the worst in the spring of 1022.
For example, Dominican hairdresser Elizabeth Colón, a resident of the Bronx, says that many people still with positive tests continue their activities on the streets, because what is observed of this “type of virus” does not “almost never” prostrate with serious symptoms, especially to those vaccinated.
“We see people who felt half sick and still went to the shops, had their parties and at that moment they contaminated a crowd”, reasons the immigrant.
She also pelu wanted islander, Gladys Domingo, who works in a salon on the street 161 and Grand Concourse, has several anecdotes about this new high chain of infections.
“For the New Year they had clients who even knowing they were infected came to get ready. Others who still continued their lives with a positive test in hand, instead of isolating themselves. It has a lot to do with people’s consciousness. Then they are the first to question the government if they close everything again”, commented Gladys.
