NYC expands COVID-19 testing in Sunset Park after spike in cases
NEW YORK - New York City is ramping up its COVID-19 testing efforts in Sunset Park, Brooklyn after an alarming spike in cases, as the city continues to prepare to send thousands of children back to school.
City officials say that 228 people or 6.7 percent of the 3300 people they tested for coronavirus came back positive. Now, they will begin making robocalls, door knocking and posting flyers all across the neighborhood to inform people of the rise in cases and urge them to get tested.
“Our idea is to saturate Sunset Park over the next few days, literally reach every member of the community we possibly can get as many people tested as possible as quickly as possible,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
Hyper-local testing sites have been set up in the neighborhood to prevent a resurgence of the disease.
The Tremont section of the Bronx and The Rockaways in Queens are also on the city’s list of neighborhoods to focus on.
Most concerning for residents, however, is that the city says it doesn’t know why there has been a sudden uptick in cases. City officials say they are hoping to compile data and provide more answers in the coming weeks.