New hotspot data shows COVID-19 cases dropping while hospitalizations up

NEW YORK - New numbers show COVID-19 cases are improving. At the same time, Mayor Bill de Blasio is still urging people in the hot zones in Brooklyn and Queens to continue following safety guidelines.

A total of 878 New Yorkers were hospitalized as of Monday — an increase of nearly 60 patients compared to Sunday's data recording 820 hospitalized individuals. 

“The largest single identifiable addition is from the micro-clusters,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters during a phone conference Monday.

At the peak, there were 18,000 hospitalized in NYC. We are under 1,000 but the numbers are creeping up. 

“12 New Yorkers passed away, 878 were hospitalized - that's is up 58," said Cuomo. "The largest single identifiable addition is from the micro-clusters. The hospitalization rate is 78. Remember we were at 18,000 hospitalized so the hospitalization number to us is more relevant as an indicator for where people are, where the cases are coming from again, right?  Testing tells you where the cases are, hospitalizations tell you where the serious cases are, and that's why we track the hospitalizations the way we do."

In New York City, the Mayor says he is doing what he can to prevent a second wave. In a televised interview, he said he's 'encouraged' as there was some leveling off of cases.

"There does not need to be a second wave in New York City. If we stop it now in the parts of Brooklyn and Queens where we're having issues we can keep this city on a good track," said de Blasio on NY1.

Right now, the positivity rates in cluster zones in Brooklyn and Queens are somewhat a mixed bag.

• Are you in a NY COVID cluster zone? Find out here and what the rules are

In Brooklyn, during the week of September 27 - October 3,  the positivity rate in the red zones was up to 6.69 % The next week, it dropped to 5.86 % This past Sunday, the number dropped even lower, to 4.54 %.

But in Queens, the positivity rate in the red bumped up a bit. The week of September 27 - October 3, the rate was 2.97 %. The week after, it increased to 3.36%. And on Sunday, dropped to 1.63 percent.

Meanwhile, the NYC Schools press secretary tweeted the results of the first day of random testing in schools: 56 participated. Out of more than 1,700 test results, only one came back positive.  But testing continues throughout the week.

Also continuing, the restrictions in place within the red, orange and yellow zones. Schools are still closed in much of those areas of Brooklyn and Queens along with non-essential businesses.

In two weeks, the restrictions currently in place in certain communities in Brooklyn and Queens could get lifted as long as the positivity rate continues to decline.