See The Latest NYC Coronavirus Cluster ZIP Code Numbers

NEW YORK CITY — New three-tiered, color-coded zones covering coronavirus clusters in Brooklyn and Queens didn’t just prompt lockdowns of schools and non-essential businesses — it also halted the release of day-by-day data about the outbreaks.

The information lockdown by city officials means the public could only take Mayor Bill de Blasio’s word last week that cases in those areas were “leveling off.”

Restrictions could lift as soon as Oct. 21, assuming the hotspots cool. Until then, city dwellers living in the 21 ZIP codes covered by the most-restrictive “red” and “orange” zones have few ways to check the temperature themselves.

De Blasio previously had released detailed daily COVID-19 data about hotspot ZIP codes. He said that stopped in order to prevent confusion when the state shifted toward the zones.

“I’ll work with our team to figure out how best to put out the information consistently in light of the new structure of the state put together,” he said. “But we want to be accurate. We want to be clear. We want to be timely, but we also want to make sure that it aligns to how the State is presenting the information.”

But the city’s COVID-19 data page does provide a four-week snapshot of coronavirus cases by ZIP code — apparently the most recent and detailed public data available for where the cases and infection rates stand for the hotspots.

The data shows for the week ending Oct. 10 that cases in 11 of 21 ZIP codes covering “red” and “orange” zones were on the rise.

COVID Zips by Matt Troutman on Scribd

The data also shows the number of cases and, especially, deaths are significantly lower than in April when the pandemic peaked in New York City.

But the 4,286 cases reported in the hotspot ZIP codes accounted for 37 percent of all COVID-19 cases reported over the last four weeks covered by the data.

It appears cases in the hotspots hit a high the week ending Oct. 3, with 1,359 total. They dropped to 1,184 the following week when officials announced the lockdowns.

There were only 25 deaths reported in those ZIP codes, according to data.

The city’s overall positive rate stood at 1.2 percent as of Friday, or 1.54 percent over a seven-day average, officials said.

The four-week positivity rate for the cluster ZIP codes consistently stood above that, reaching as high as 8.12 percent in Gravesend and Homecrest.

COVID Zips by Matt Troutman on Scribd

Click here for more information on coronavirus cluster zones.