As the Delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread, and as The Hill reported that most U.S. states are seeing a spike in COVID cases over the last two weeks, an analysis of the latest COVID-19 case data across the City shows that emergency hospital visits among the 0 to 4 age group having flu-like symptoms have increased.

 

According to New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOH), the following chart, Chart 1, denotes the trend in emergency hospital visits (not admissions) for people who visited the emergency department with clinical signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19 illness (including flu-like illnesses and pneumonia) during the last three months.

DOH notes that while some of these people did not have a positive molecular or antigen test (for COVID-19), the chart can be an early warning sign for community transmission of COVID-19.

 

The top blue line in Chart 1, above, denotes the trend in emergency hospital visits (not admissions) among kids aged 0 to 4 years of age with such symptoms. The cluster of blue lines at the bottom of Chart 1 denote the trends in emergency hospital visits (not admissions) for other age-groups. Meanwhile, the black line indicates the trend for such visits among all age groups, collectively.

Meanwhile, Chart 2, above, denotes the trends for those who were then admitted to the hospital with such flu-like symptoms in recent months in New York City. The top blue line in Chart 2 denotes the trend in such emergency hospital admissions among those who are 75 years of age and older who had such symptoms.

 

The cluster of blue lines at the bottom of Chart 2 denote the trends in emergency hospital admissions for other age-groups. Meanwhile, the black line indicates the trend for such admissions among all age groups, collectively.

Other charts attached below provide the COVID-19 hospitalization and death rates per 100,000 people in various New York City neighborhoods (denoted by their zip codes) over the last 28 days, indicating where there are clusters of coronavirus in certain New York City neighborhoods, including some in the Bronx.

 

We have not included all New York City zip codes here but there are many across the city which have zero hospitalization and rates and others which have higher hospitalization and death rates, in addition to those highlighted for the Bronx.

 

Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo provided the following COVID-19 and other general updates for New York State on Monday, July 12.

 

1. COVID hospitalizations are at 348. Of the 51,890 tests reported Sunday, July 11, 573 or 1.10 percent were positive. The 7-day positivity average was 0.88 percent. There were 78 patients in ICU [on Sunday], up four from the previous day. Of them, 36 are intubated. Sadly, we lost one New Yorker to the virus.

 

2. As of 11 a.m. Monday, July 12, 73.3 percent of adult New Yorkers had received at least one vaccine dose, per the CDC. Over the past 24 hours, 20,895 total doses have been administered. To date, New York has administered 21,577,298 total doses with 66.7 percent of adult New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See additional data on the State’s Vaccine Tracker.

 

3. Four mass vaccination sites will cease operations as of Monday, July 19. The mass vaccination sites at The Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls, Plattsburgh International Airport, SUNY Polytechnic Institute – Utica, and Jones Beach will cease operations. The State will reallocate resources on localized vaccination efforts in areas that have lower-than-average vaccination rates.

 

How do we know the #COVID19 vaccines are safe? Because they were shown to be safe through clinical trials, which involved testing the vaccine on tens of thousands of volunteers. These trials were closely monitored by the @US_FDA and outside experts: https://t.co/4zgWbbigan pic.twitter.com/A0vd2AZQQX

— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) July 12, 2021

 

4. The vaccination site at the New York State Fairgrounds will relocate this Wednesday. Effective Wednesday, July 14, the New York State Fairgrounds site will relocate from the Expo Center to the Arts & Home Center.

 

Once you're fully #vaccinated:
✅All activities become safer
✅Generally, you no longer need to wear a face covering or stay 6 feet apart from other people
✅You no longer need to quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19
Learn more: https://t.co/BHibl5jeSz pic.twitter.com/VUfYlDdquq

— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) July 12, 2021

 

5. In the third round of the program, Nourish NY has spent $15 million to help New Yorkers in need. So far, over nine million pounds of raw milk has been turned into dairy products and distributed by food banks, along with 3.7 million pounds of produce. Over eight million meals have been made for households in need using products sourced from New York farms.

 

Almost all hospital admissions for #COVID19 now occur among New Yorkers who aren't vaccinated. This is preventable suffering.

If you've been waiting for the right time to get vaccinated, that time is now. Here's why ⬇⬇⬇ pic.twitter.com/pWukaF8ekM

— Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi, MD (@NYCHealthCommr) July 12, 2021

 

Norwood News recently reported on ongoing vaccine hesitancy in the Bronx, despite the borough having the lowest vaccination rate in the City at 43 percent.

 

On Monday, July 12, DOH tweeted that the reason it is known that COVID-19 vaccines are safe is because they were shown to be safe during clinical trials, which involved testing the vaccine on tens of thousands of volunteers. “These trials were closely monitored by @US_FDA and outside experts: on.nyc.gov/vaccinefacts.” For the latest information on vaccine facts, go here.

 

Meanwhile, on Monday, The New York Times and other outlets reported that the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen & Janssen) vaccine received another set-back following the decision by the F.D.A. to attach a warning of a rare nerve syndrome to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. It followed findings of the syndrome among some people who had received the vaccine, and despite the fact that the syndrome has also been found in people who have not had the vaccine. Federal regulators concluded that the risk of developing the syndrome was low, and that the benefits of the vaccine still strongly outweigh the risk of developing the syndrome. The F.D.A.’s fact-sheet on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been updated accordingly.

 

Weekly update on variants in NYC: The delta variant makes up ~45% of sequenced #COVID19 cases. Delta is now the predominant variant spreading in NYC and the U.S. as a whole – but all of the authorized vaccines offer protection against it and other circulating variants. pic.twitter.com/rGZRVXnLkt

— Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi, MD (@NYCHealthCommr) July 8, 2021

 

Also on Monday, NYC Health commissioner, Dr. Dave Chokshi confirmed that the majority of people who were being hospitalized for the coronavirus were those who were unvaccinated. He encouraged those who have not already gotten the shot to do so.

 

Wow. Remarkable statement. So much tension between White House and Facebook right now. Heard from a source that WH incredibly frustrated after months of asking FB for data on vaccine misinfo that company, despite saying in public they want to work with WH, isn't sharing https://t.co/Pp7frsOwDP

— Cecilia Kang (@ceciliakang) July 16, 2021

On Friday, July 16, when asked what his message was to Facebook, in the context of the misinformation that is still circulating on its platform about COVID-19, President Joe Biden said, “They’re killing people. The only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated and they’re killing people.”