NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A ZIP code in Brooklyn has the highest COVID-19 death rate in New York City — one of many indicators that the pandemic is “not hitting New Yorkers equitably,” the head of the health department said Monday.
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The city’s health department on Monday released an updated COVID-19 data page that includes breakdowns by demographic and ZIP code.
The 11239 ZIP code, which comprises part of East New York and includes Starrett City, a subsidized housing complex, had the highest death rate of any ZIP code in the city, the data shows.
The 11691 ZIP code in Queens, which includes Far Rockaway, had the second-highest death rate, followed by the 11354 ZIP code in Queens, which includes part of Flushing.
The 11368 ZIP code in Queens, which is designated by the department as “West Queens” and includes parts of Corona and Willets Point, has seen the most COVID-19 cases in New York City, according to the data.
“This public health emergency has affected all of our communities,” Health Department Commissioner Oxiris Barbot said in a statement. “The data also show that this virus is not hitting New Yorkers equitably and that reality is guiding the COVID-19 response.”
“Everyone, particularly older New Yorkers, must continue to follow guidance and take precautions to protect themselves,” she added.
Politico on Monday noted that the coronavirus death rate in zip codes “where at least 30 percent of people live in poverty… is 232 for every 100,000 people — compared to 100 in low-poverty neighborhoods, where less than 10 percent of the population is poor.”
Eight of the 10 ZIP codes with the highest death rates, meanwhile, “have populations that are predominantly black or Hispanic,” the New York Times reported.