Thursday, March 26, 2020

Mayor de Blasio is refusing to release information about what exact areas in the five boroughs have the most COVID-19 cases




Residents of Los Angeles can go to a county website to look up how many confirmed coronavirus cases there are in Beverlywood, or Koreatown, or Echo Park. Officials in Charlotte, North Carolina, have released figures at the ZIP code level. The South Korean government is sending geotargeted texts to alert citizens to positive cases near them.


In New York, now at the center of the outbreak, Mayor Bill de Blasio has resisted releasing what the city knows about a basic question: Where, precisely, is the virus?


Answers could take the form of a number of data points — tests, confirmed infections, hospitalizations or deaths — each of which shed light on a different part of the crisis.


Instead New York, along with several other state and county governments around the country, has released daily data only on the county, or borough, level. That means there is just one figure for COVID-19 cases in all of Kings County — Brooklyn — which has a population larger than 15 states. 

The roughly 4,600 confirmed COVID-19 cases among Brooklyn’s 2.6 million residents account for 8% of the confirmed cases in the entire country. There is also just one coronavirus case figure for the 2.2 million residents of Queens, where there are just over 5,000 confirmed cases.


The lack of detailed information makes it difficult for medical workers, journalists and the public to establish whether particular communities in the city are being harder hit and to get beyond anecdotal accounts of which of the city’s roughly 60 hospitals are already overwhelmed.


Dr. Michael Augenbraun, director of the infectious diseases division at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in central Brooklyn, said that while he knows the city has its hands full, the data could be useful for doctors. “Everyone is struggling to make sense of this evolving picture,” he said. “I think it would be useful to us in the hospitals to get a detailed situational appraisal, to know how much of the burden we are confronting.”


Augenbraun noted that more precise data could reveal important trends in how the disease is affecting different New Yorkers. “There are many things that may correlate with the spread of infectious diseases,” he said. “Race might be one, poverty might be another.”


But some of those same factors, particularly ethnicity and race, may account for the city’s reluctance to make public more localized data that could point to clusters in particular neighborhoods, among certain communities. Around the country, there have been disturbing reports of bias attacks against Asian Americans by assailants blaming Chinese communities for the spread of the virus.


“The risk is that certain communities would be unfairly stigmatized, especially if communities with many COVID-19 cases already shoulder poverty or high crime,” said Dr. Jessica Justman, associate professor of medicine in epidemiology at Columbia University. “On the other hand, communication and information are always important and especially important in a pandemic setting.”

Some experts argue that the city should be releasing more granular information, perhaps even down to the block level.


“More detailed information will allow everyone to target their efforts much more effectively than only county-level information,” said John Mollenkopf, director of the Center for Urban Research at the CUNY Graduate Center.
 
In Newark, the largest city in neighboring New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka has disclosed that there were three coronavirus hot spots where residents should take extra precautions. On March 21, the city released detailed maps of the areas, which cover between 50 and 100 square blocks; it did not release the specific number of cases for each area.


New York has held fast on the policy the mayor laid out during a March 12 press conference when he was asked by a reporter if the city could go beyond borough-level numbers and break down cases by neighborhoods. The mayor declined, saying only that the city would release figures in the case of what he called a “cluster.”


“When we say ‘community spread,’ the assumption should be that this is something that is going to reach every corner of the city, whether we like it or not,” he said at the press conference. “And I don’t think it’s particularly productive. I don’t know what you do with that information. I don’t know how you change your life. Unless there is an indication of a cluster, that’s something we absolutely will talk about.”

THE CITY 

The city is sending homeless shelter residents and public hospital patients with coronavirus to hotels — but won’t say where.

And officials aren’t providing hotel staff or the city employees monitoring the infected guests with masks or any other form of protective equipment — instead instructing them to maintain social distance.

“Going into a hotel room with an infected patient is the same as going into a room of a hospital with an infected patient,” said City Councilmember Stephen Levin (D-Brooklyn), who called for protection for the workers.

The news came as officials confirmed the first death of a homeless New Yorker who succumbed to COVID-19.

The city’s Department of Homeless Services and the Health + Hospitals Corporation said the shelter residents and patients sent to the hotels are all experiencing low-level symptoms and do not require intensive medical care.

As of Wednesday, DHS had placed 65 individuals from shelters into hotel rooms.

Among them: residents who are infected, people who came in close contact with those who tested positive and shelter clients with potential coronavirus symptoms who haven’t been tested, officials said.

Overall, the city has lined up 500 rooms in four hotels, though only two facilities were being used as of Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
Isaac McGinn, a DHS spokesperson, declined to reveal the locations of the hotels, citing shelter residents’ privacy.

HHC wouldn’t say how many patients it had sent to the hotels so far. At least one HHC patient with COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, had no known address and was routed to a hotel, via DHS.

 The number of shelter residents infected with the virus jumped from 17 to 39 between Sunday night and Tuesday night, with the illness spreading from 12 to 27 separate shelters across the city during that time, DHS officials said. Twelve people have been hospitalized — including the unidentified person who died Tuesday.

Queens has the most COVID-19 cases in the city with 6,420 and had the biggest gain in the last 3 days at last count on THE CITY's website.

Followed by Brooklyn with 5,232, Manhattan with 3,616, Bronx with 3,532 (second biggest gain) and Staten Island with 1,166. 

A total of 285 citywide have died by the virus. 

I'm going to take a break for a few days.



19 comments:

Anonymous said...

The needs of the Democratic Party of Queens trumps that of the state or its citizens.

We know what is best for you. Its what is best for us.

Don't think. But above all, if you do, do not utter an unscripted opinion.

Go home people and watch a video or something. Just make sure it follows the Party diktat, is diverse, and everything will be fine.

Remember BIG PARTY IS WATCHING!

Anonymous said...

Really? Swing by Elmhurst Hospital and you’ll get a pretty good idea. That long white refrigerated truck out back is not storing groceries.

Anonymous said...

During the last Federal assessment of New York 2 years ago by medical authorities, it was recommended that they increase the number of ventilators on hand by 16000 and were given the opportunity to do so. Cuomo declined it based on cost.

Anonymous said...

Blasio is a perfect example of ugly on the outside and ugly on the inside! how does this horrible excuse for a human being sleep at night?

Anonymous said...

Queens has biggest number of cases in NYC no surprise Queens has the largest concentration of Chinese and the virus came to America from China brought here by Chinese immigrants traveling between China and NYC.

Anonymous said...

This is as disgraceful--simply disgraceful--as it is irresponsible. And I must say, absolutely typical of DumblASSio and the corrupt libtard dummocrats in charge of the city. The fact that NYC is so sorely affected by the virus is a direct reflection of its sanctuary city status, letting--no, ENCOURAGING--every piece of flotsam and jetsam of the world, especially CHINA, to come into the city completely unvetted. No one knows if they are bringing communcable diseases--of course they are--if they are criminals--they certainly are, simply by entering the country illegally--or if they will be nothing but an additional financial burden to us all--and of course they will. They are largely uneducated, illiterate, low skilled people looking to get onto the Uncle Sam gravy train for life. Just drop a baby and you're set for life. Screw that.

In addition, DumblASSio has actively encouraged people to take tenants into their basement apartments and otherwise increase the population density, making it even easier to transmit disease. He also refused to close the schools for 2 ridiculous reasons--arguing that the schools are a feeding center and a babysitting service. Did anyone else notice that he NEVER mentioned a loss of learning if they were closed? So he showed his moronic hand in revealing what he believes our schools are for--feeding illegals and homeless and providing free babysitting. What a piece of scum this turd is.

DumblASSio also prevented ICE from hauling in the illegal criminal invaders, which may well have reduced virus carriers. Finally, this POS blamed TRUMP for his troubles, which he, DumblASSio brought upon us all.

Elections do have consequences. Next time, don't sit at home on your lazy apathetic uninformed butt. Educate yourself with multiple sources of information--not just the lame stream media, who are the unofficial organ of the dummocrap party. Dig a little. Or watch NYC and NYS slide further down the porcelain portal.

Anonymous said...

Just heard him on the radio. Don't know about you, but he loses me when he starts up with that schoolmarm voice as he talks down to us, the ignorant. But then, most of that ilk are smug and self righteous and their dearest followers are well ... backward and ignorant.

Funny how everywhere else you hear of the Chinese slamming doors, but here in NYC they are heroes to be admired (so much more than Washington). Ah huh.....

A good deal of the 'lecture' (which is the best way to describe it) is how much the rest of the country loves us and is sending aid to us. Ah huh ...

Of course, none of the issues raised here on Crappy was addressed. He just rambled on and on and sounded more distracted than Biden or Trump. Now THAT'S quite an accomplishment!

Anonymous said...

Any and everywhere along the 7 train.

Now pay me for that information. I prefer cash

Anonymous said...

I cat wait until tax revenues drop. Government needs to be destroyed.

Anonymous said...

The reason why so many fed up, disgusted and oppressed New York City residents have given up and scrapped (long ago), our junk justice system is because the same system that ironically exhorts law and order for the plebeian, proletariat and rank and file, has willfully absolved and expiated an openly practicing criminal named Bill de BLASS-hole! Likewise, the 'OTHER' ignored criminal by the feckless feds is Sonny, I mean Andrew Cuomo (a/k/a 'CUOMIGULA'), which is why I correctly refer to BOTH of these UNACCOUNTABLE, derelict and monstrously self-serving politicians (NOT public servants), as: 'CRIMES WITHOUT CRIMINALS!'

My one great hope is that the Coronavirus will finally level the playing field, and to SO ORDER ALL ACCOUNTABLE (but, NOT ACCOUNTABLE) leadership to finally lead by example, and to make all examples of public corruption a capital offense.

And, the ever languishing public be eternally duped, bilked, scammed and damned! Noting NEW 'bout THAT!

Anonymous said...

My friends in NYC law enforcement.
The epicenter is along the last 4 stops of the 7 train in Queens.
There is some kind of gag order on it not to badmouth illegal immigration and 3rd world living condition.
Elmhurst hospital looks like a war zone, they have two 55 foot trailer trucks with huge compressors running on top, tents with plastic tunnel tubes connecting.

Thats what happens when you have 10 people living per room.
That area of Queens is too overcrowded with stupid illiterate people that don't even belong in this country.
Most are overweight, unhealthy, illiterate in any language dirty's now taking up all the respirators.
What did the jackass mayor think was gonna happen when you invite & pack 1 million illegal slobs to an area the size of 3 or so square miles.

The mayor should be charged with murder & mass negligence with the lives of the whole city with his Sandinista Marxist sanctuary city bullshit.
His press conferences are a joke, glad Trump times his the same time and takes the TV channels.
Let deBlasio spew his PC steering bullshit on WNYC with the rest of the commies, liberals & Marxists. Most his voters could be dead or back across the southern border by next election.
Bye Bye to this Asshole

Deke DaSilva said...

The lack of detailed information makes it difficult for medical workers, journalists and the public to establish whether particular communities in the city are being harder hit

NY Times Headline- Asteroid Hits Earth: Women and Minorities Hit Hardest

The risk is that certain communities would be unfairly stigmatized, especially if communities with many COVID-19 cases already shoulder poverty or high crime

The same tune as always: We must not stigmatize the marginalized!

Anonymous said...

Yes. Because he knows that flushing will definitely show the most cases. But isn't that a matter of public safety too? If I needed to go to a hospitals ER for some urgent matter not related to COVID, then I would choose to go to a hospital that's NOT in a neighborhood that possibly has more covid infected people in it? So isnt it a public safety issue to NOT release this information?

Anonymous said...

Queens because Diversity is the Greatest.

Anonymous said...

Because most are undocumented and will not give their address. Welcome to Bill’s Sanctuary
City.

Anonymous said...

"Welcome to Bill’s Sanctuary City."
It is being run by the mobmasta city council as well !
Looks really good right about now Pinko Lefties ?
New York City and N.Y. State eventually had to face up to the consequences of the Leftist actions taken for the last 50+ years.

JQ LLC said...

Admin note:

I deleted some comments on this thread by accident. Apologies.

Anonymous said...

Logan's Run vs Solyent Green

Anonymous said...

Planet of The Apes is more like it...