COVID-19 cases growing at ‘alarming rate’ in Brooklyn, Queens

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People wear protective face masks on Fifth Avenue as the city continues Phase 4 of re-opening. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

NEW YORK - The New York City Health Department says COVID-19 cases in the city are continuing to grow at an “alarming rate” in eight neighborhoods. 

The eight areas account for nearly a quarter of the new cases in the city over the past two weeks, despite representing just under 7 percent of the city’s population.

The areas of concern are:

• Gravesend/Homecrest (6.75%)
• Midwood (5.34%)
• Kew Gardens (3.82%)
• Edgemere/Far Rockaway (3.9%)
• Borough Park (4.63%)
• Bensonhurst/Mapleton (4.41%)
• Gerritsen Beach/Homecrest/Sheepshead Bay (3.91%)
• Flatlands/Midwood (3.85%)

The health department is also monitoring increases in four additional areas:

• Rego Park (2.34%)
• Kew Gardens Hills/Pomonok (2.71%)
• Kensington/Windsor Terrace (2.45%)
• Brighton Beach/Manhattan Beach/Sheepshead Bay (2.74%)

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Williamsburg is also seeing a faster increase in COVID cases, even though the test positivity rate is just 1.78 percent. 

The health department also said it was monitoring an uptick in hospitalized patients at two hospitals in Brooklyn and at least one hospital in Queens.