The state Health Department released additional coronavirus data on Saturday that gives a clearer picture of which counties and age groups have been hardest hit by the pandemic so far. The figures are summarized in the charts below.
The data confirm that the virus is concentrated in the New York City metropolitan area, with the city itself accounting for almost three-quarters of the 3,565 deaths through Friday.
When adjusted for population, the death rates in the neighboring counties of Nassau and Westchester have been almost as high as the city’s, with Rockland and Suffolk not far below.
This is an installment in a special series of #NYCoronavirus chronicles by Empire Center analysts, focused on New York’s state and local policy response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Mortality has been concentrated in higher age groups, consistent with the pattern around the world. Of those who have died, 93 percent have been over 50, 82 percent over 60, 64 percent over 70 and 37 percent over 80.
As with deaths, the number of confirmed cases has been concentrated in New York City and the surrounding suburbs, with Queens and Brooklyn having the largest number of positive tests.
When adjusted for population, however, Rockland, Westchester and Nassau have the highest rates of positive tests per 10,000 residents. This could reflect varying patterns of testing, but it might also foreshadow where the worst of the pandemic will hit next.
About the Author
You may also like
Even With Federal Cuts, New York’s Health Funding Would Remain High
New York's health-care industry stands to lose billions of dollars in federal funding under the major budget bill being debated in Washington – a rare and jarring turn of events for a sector accustomed to steadily increas Read More
As Albany’s Session Ends, Watch for Rising Health Costs
Every session of the state Legislature brings a fresh crop of proposals that would drive up health-care costs, and 2025 is no exception.
Here is a sampling of pending bills that, if Read More
House Budget Would Burst New York’s Essential Plan Bubble
The extraordinary cash bonanza associated with New York's Essential Plan – which has generated billions more than state officials were able to spend – would come to a crashing end under the budget bill advancing in Cong Read More
The House GOP’s Shrinking Budget Plan Could Still Cost New York Billions
The likely impact of federal health-care cutbacks has diminished in recent days as House Republican leaders backed away from some of their bigger-ticket proposals, reducing the estimated savings to $625 billion from previous figures of $715 billion and $8 Read More
How Medicaid ‘Expansion’ Changes Could Affect New York
As House Republicans consider cutbacks to federal Medicaid funding, their focus has turned to the so-called expansion population.
Although the details of remain undetermined, the s Read More
New York’s Home Health Workforce Jumps by Another 10 Percent
New York's home health employment is continuing to soar, growing by 57,000 jobs or 10 percent from 2023 to 2024, according to newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Read More
Immigrant Enrollment in ‘Emergency Medicaid’ Surges to 480,000
One of the biggest drivers of New York's Medicaid enrollment growth over the past decade has been "emergency Medicaid" for undocumented immigrants, newly released state records show.
Read More
Medicaid’s Missing Million
The Health Department has been either unable or unwilling to document the eligibility status of almost one million Medicaid recipients, raising further concern about the possibility of large-scale over-enrollment. Read More