Summary

New York State reported 7 new deaths from Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on August 08, 2020, bringing the cumulative total to 25,202 deaths. New York hospitals are currently treating 548 patients for COVID-19; 66 patients are on ventilators, and 131 are being treated in intensive care units. Cumulatively, 73,689 patients have recovered.

The state reported 515 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the cumulative statewide total to 420,860. The county with the highest number of new COVID-19 cases was Kings (n = 69). Overall, Queens County had the highest cumulative number of cases (n = 68,604). An additional 65,812 COVID-19 diagnostic tests were reported on August 08, 2020, bringing the cumulative number of diagnostic tests performed to 6,509,644 statewide. The county with the highest number of new diagnostic tests was Kings (n = 7,685). The county with the highest cumulative number of diagnostic tests performed was also Kings (n = 835,287). Among all of the diagnostic tests reported thus far, statewide, 6% tested positive.

Social distancing, a non-pharmaceutical intervention whereby people maintain at least six feet of physical distance between one another, is foundational in New York State’s strategy for suppressing COVID-19 transmission. In New York City, New Yorkers are encouraged to contact 311 to report social distancing violations. On August 08, 2020, New York City 311 received 5 social distancing calls: 3 from the Bronx, 1 from Brooklyn, 1 from Manhattan, 0 from Queens, and 0 from Staten Island.

One proxy measure of adherence to social distancing guidelines is population mobility. Lower levels of mobility in public locations, and higher levels in residential locations suggests greater adherence. Mobility data from Google location histories indicate that on August 04, 2020, compared to a baseline on February 15, 2020, people in New York State spent 32% less time in retail and recreational settings (e.g., restaurants, shopping centers, libraries), 15% less time in grocery and pharmacy settings (e.g., grocery stores, food warehouses, farmers markets, and pharmacies), 1% more time in parks (e.g., local parks, public beaches, plazas, and public gardens), 54% less time in transit stations (e.g., subway stations, bus stops, train stations), 46% less time in workplaces, and 16% more time in residential settings. Mobility data from Apple devices in New York City indicate that on August 08, 2020, New Yorkers were walking 6% less, driving 41% more, and riding transit 48% less, compared to baseline levels on January 13, 2020.

In addition to its impact on health and safety, COVID-19 has also disruptively impacted New York’s economy. The necessary implementation of social distancing has, directly and indirectly, caused many businesses to reduce or suspend operations. Open data reports that the statewide unemployment rate for June 2020 was 13.1%, an increase over the prior month’s unemployment rate of 10.4% in June 2020. New York State received 304,180 initial unemployment insurance claims in June 2020, a decrease from the 554,862 initial claims received during May 2020.

Summary Prepared By: Isaac H. Michaels, MPH
Data Sources: Health Data NY, The COVID Tracking Project, NYC Open Data, Google COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, Apple, and Open Data NY (Unempolyment Rates and Unemployment Insurance Claims)

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