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Coronavirus: ‘Huge Spike’ in Brooklyn Hasidic Community Coronavirus: ‘Huge Spike’ in Brooklyn Hasidic Community
(2 days later)
Health officials expressed growing alarm on Wednesday that the coronavirus is spreading quickly in tightly knit Hasidic Jewish communities in Brooklyn, saying that they are investigating a spike in confirmed cases in recent days.Health officials expressed growing alarm on Wednesday that the coronavirus is spreading quickly in tightly knit Hasidic Jewish communities in Brooklyn, saying that they are investigating a spike in confirmed cases in recent days.
More than 100 people have recently tested positive for the coronavirus in Borough Park and Williamsburg, two Brooklyn neighborhoods with sizable Hasidic Jewish populations — all of them tested at two urgent care centers that have been crowded with anxious patients, according to an urgent care center employee.More than 100 people have recently tested positive for the coronavirus in Borough Park and Williamsburg, two Brooklyn neighborhoods with sizable Hasidic Jewish populations — all of them tested at two urgent care centers that have been crowded with anxious patients, according to an urgent care center employee.
The tests were conducted at Asisa Urgent Care facilities in each neighborhood, and the results were all received by the end of the day on Tuesday.The tests were conducted at Asisa Urgent Care facilities in each neighborhood, and the results were all received by the end of the day on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would begin to increase its testing capacity from the current level of several hundred tests a day. The increase would start on Thursday, with the expectation of reaching the goal of 5,000 tests a day after “several days,” he said.On Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would begin to increase its testing capacity from the current level of several hundred tests a day. The increase would start on Thursday, with the expectation of reaching the goal of 5,000 tests a day after “several days,” he said.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Mr. de Blasio said there were no known clusters of coronavirus in the city. A cluster is an interconnected group of cases that can be traced to the same source. Such a group emerged in New Rochelle this month.At a news conference on Tuesday, Mr. de Blasio said there were no known clusters of coronavirus in the city. A cluster is an interconnected group of cases that can be traced to the same source. Such a group emerged in New Rochelle this month.
“If we had a cluster, I assure you, we would tell you,” the mayor said. “I asked this very day, we do not have any clusters in New York City.”“If we had a cluster, I assure you, we would tell you,” the mayor said. “I asked this very day, we do not have any clusters in New York City.”
But the positive tests in Brooklyn were all conducted before the gradual expansion could be implemented, which has raised concern that they may be the city’s first cluster rather than a reflection of increased testing.But the positive tests in Brooklyn were all conducted before the gradual expansion could be implemented, which has raised concern that they may be the city’s first cluster rather than a reflection of increased testing.
A spokeswoman for the mayor said late Wednesday that the city’s health commissioner, Oxiris Barbot, had reviewed the Borough Park cases and did not find a common link among them.A spokeswoman for the mayor said late Wednesday that the city’s health commissioner, Oxiris Barbot, had reviewed the Borough Park cases and did not find a common link among them.
“At this time, she does NOT believe there is any cluster,” the spokeswoman, Freddi Goldstein, said on Twitter.“At this time, she does NOT believe there is any cluster,” the spokeswoman, Freddi Goldstein, said on Twitter.
Concern over the spread of coronavirus in Hasidic communities had already been raised by a series of large weddings held this week. On Tuesday, the Fire Department broke up one wedding celebration in Williamsburg that had more than 200 guests.Concern over the spread of coronavirus in Hasidic communities had already been raised by a series of large weddings held this week. On Tuesday, the Fire Department broke up one wedding celebration in Williamsburg that had more than 200 guests.
On Wednesday, the state health commissioner, Howard Zucker, said his office was aware of the high number of cases in Borough Park and was investigating it as a possible cluster.On Wednesday, the state health commissioner, Howard Zucker, said his office was aware of the high number of cases in Borough Park and was investigating it as a possible cluster.
“There’s two possibilities: There’s a lot of testing that’s going on or potentially one or more individuals that have been infected,” Dr. Zucker said. “So that’s something that’s new on the radar and we’re investigating that.”“There’s two possibilities: There’s a lot of testing that’s going on or potentially one or more individuals that have been infected,” Dr. Zucker said. “So that’s something that’s new on the radar and we’re investigating that.”
Stephanie Buhle, a spokeswoman for the New York City Health Department, said there had been “an increase of cases in Borough Park just as there has been citywide.”Stephanie Buhle, a spokeswoman for the New York City Health Department, said there had been “an increase of cases in Borough Park just as there has been citywide.”
Every neighborhood in the city had now had a resident test positive for the virus, she said. She said the average age of coronavirus patients in Borough Park was between 40 and 50.Every neighborhood in the city had now had a resident test positive for the virus, she said. She said the average age of coronavirus patients in Borough Park was between 40 and 50.
Simcha Eichenstein, the state assemblyman who represents much of Borough Park, said the outbreak “has hit the Borough Park community really hard.”Simcha Eichenstein, the state assemblyman who represents much of Borough Park, said the outbreak “has hit the Borough Park community really hard.”
“We have seen a huge spike in positive results just in the last 48 hours,” Mr. Eichenstein said on Wednesday. “However, at this point, it is unclear if the spike is due to greater testing or whether the virus has actually hit Borough Park in greater fashion.”“We have seen a huge spike in positive results just in the last 48 hours,” Mr. Eichenstein said on Wednesday. “However, at this point, it is unclear if the spike is due to greater testing or whether the virus has actually hit Borough Park in greater fashion.”
On Wednesday afternoon, a crew in protective jumpsuits could be seen cleaning the urgent care center in Borough Park.On Wednesday afternoon, a crew in protective jumpsuits could be seen cleaning the urgent care center in Borough Park.
Joel Bernat, an executive at the cleaning company, Disinfect New York, said it had been called to Asisa Urgent Care twice in the last two weeks after patients tested positive for the coronavirus.Joel Bernat, an executive at the cleaning company, Disinfect New York, said it had been called to Asisa Urgent Care twice in the last two weeks after patients tested positive for the coronavirus.
Updated June 30, 2020
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
He said the city should have issued stronger warnings about the coronavirus two weeks ago, and that the neighborhood was at risk because its residents “live very close together.”He said the city should have issued stronger warnings about the coronavirus two weeks ago, and that the neighborhood was at risk because its residents “live very close together.”
A group of patients, some wanting to be tested, stood on the sidewalk outside the clinic. One woman cradled an infant while another, wearing a mask, took the baby’s temperature. One man held his lapel over his mouth, while others shivered, coughed or blew their nose.A group of patients, some wanting to be tested, stood on the sidewalk outside the clinic. One woman cradled an infant while another, wearing a mask, took the baby’s temperature. One man held his lapel over his mouth, while others shivered, coughed or blew their nose.
“They won’t even let me find out if I need a test,” said a man who gave only his first name, Chaim. He said he was 72 years old and had a dry cough. “Everything is so vague. Nobody knows anything.”“They won’t even let me find out if I need a test,” said a man who gave only his first name, Chaim. He said he was 72 years old and had a dry cough. “Everything is so vague. Nobody knows anything.”
A gaunt man who gave his first name, Jacob, and said that he was 37, said that he suspected that he was infected with the coronavirus.A gaunt man who gave his first name, Jacob, and said that he was 37, said that he suspected that he was infected with the coronavirus.
“I know a lot of people who are sick in bed,” he said. He said he came down with a fever and cough after interacting with sick people in the community.“I know a lot of people who are sick in bed,” he said. He said he came down with a fever and cough after interacting with sick people in the community.
The Hasidic community in New York has grappled with epidemic illness in the recent past. A measles outbreak that began in New York in 2018 led Mr. de Blasio to declare a public health emergency last April.The Hasidic community in New York has grappled with epidemic illness in the recent past. A measles outbreak that began in New York in 2018 led Mr. de Blasio to declare a public health emergency last April.
The Hasidic community was disproportionately affected by that outbreak.The Hasidic community was disproportionately affected by that outbreak.
A preschool housed in the same building as the wedding venue that the Fire Department visited on Tuesday was closed last year by the city for violating a Health Department order that required it to provide medical and attendance records as part of efforts to fight the measles.A preschool housed in the same building as the wedding venue that the Fire Department visited on Tuesday was closed last year by the city for violating a Health Department order that required it to provide medical and attendance records as part of efforts to fight the measles.
For some in the community, the experience of the measles outbreak left a lingering wariness of public health officials and directives from the state.For some in the community, the experience of the measles outbreak left a lingering wariness of public health officials and directives from the state.
That has been evident in the days since health officials introduced emergency rules that have upended life in New York, including a ban on public gatherings of more than 50 people.That has been evident in the days since health officials introduced emergency rules that have upended life in New York, including a ban on public gatherings of more than 50 people.
The persistence of large weddings in the community has raised concern about pandemic preparedness and highlighted the challenge of persuading people to adapt to the public health restrictions enacted amid the coronavirus outbreak.The persistence of large weddings in the community has raised concern about pandemic preparedness and highlighted the challenge of persuading people to adapt to the public health restrictions enacted amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Jesse McKinley and Nate Schweber contributed reporting.Jesse McKinley and Nate Schweber contributed reporting.