De Blasio Urges Vigilance as Coronavirus Cases Rise in Sunset Park

The southern Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday. Of the 38,000 households in the neighborhood, 3,300 were tested in two weeks and 228 were positive.

The outbreak was discovered by the Test and Trace Corps’ “hyperlocal testing” system. The Health Department and the Test and Trace Corps will focus more resources to contain the outbreak with more public testing and communicating with residents with phone calls, fliers, and going door to door to keep everyone informed. Mobile testing sites will be stationed in Sunset Park to ensure residents have access to free tests.

“Our idea is to saturate Sunset Park over the next few days, literally reach every member of the community we possibly can, get as many people as tested as possible, as quickly as possible,” de Blasio said. He stressed that everyone, regardless of where they live or work, should continue to social distance and wear masks to protect themselves and others.

Dr. Dave Chokshi, Commissioner of the Health Department, said that the city would connect those who have coronavirus with the services and supplies they need to isolate themselves, be it medical prescriptions or a hotel to isolate if they live with family. “The Sunset Park community is going to see even more of us in the days ahead,” he said.

A testing sites will be set up at the corner of 44th Street and 6th Avenue, and will be open from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM from Wednesday, August 12th until Friday, August 14th.

Another site will operate at 809 44th Street from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM on Saturday, August 15th and Sunday, August 16th.

Beginning Wednesday, August 12, Expanded Urgicare Testing with AdvantageCare Physicians will be available at 740 64th Street. Appointments are available by calling (866) 749-2660. Rapid point of care testing at the Brooklyn Army Terminal will launch Monday, August 17th.

Sunset Park, as of now, is an outlier. Across New York City, approximately one percent of residents have tested positive for coronavirus.