Harlem Sees Widespread Increase In Coronavirus Positivity Rate

HARLEM, NY — Most Harlem ZIP codes have seen an uptick in the percentage of coronavirus cases coming back positive, part of a trend that has alarmed health officials, according to city data released Thursday.

The data, which includes COVID-19 test results over four weeks up to Oct. 24, shows that the positivity rate has risen in six of the eight ZIP codes covering Harlem compared to the previous four-week period.

The ZIP code with the highest rate is 10031, covering West Harlem and Hamilton Heights, where 2.1 percent of tests came back positive. That makes it one of 67 ZIP codes around the city with a positivity rate above 2 percent over those four weeks, according to Gothamist, which first reported on the new data. Sixteen are above 3 percent.

Last month, by contrast, only 20 ZIP codes had rates above two percent, including eight above 3 percent, Gothamist reported.

"It is extremely worrisome that even before winter has forced us back inside, we're seeing this trend," City Councilmember Mark Levine, who represents West Harlem and chairs the Council's health committee, told Patch.