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New York Surpasses 50,000 COVID Deaths As Officials Warn That Progress Has Stalled
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Mar 29, 2021
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John Minchillo/AP/Shutterstock
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Mar 29, 2021
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A year after becoming the global epicenter of the pandemic, New York reached another somber milestone on Monday, surpassing 50,000 coronavirus deaths statewide.
"It’s a reminder to us to take this disease seriously," Mayor Bill de Blasio said at his daily press briefing. "It’s a reminder to us that this isn’t over yet."
The staggering total, reported by Johns Hopkins University, comes as coronavirus cases have begun to creep up in many parts of the country. It's a worrisome sign that the variants are starting to pull ahead in the race against vaccinations, according to public health experts. Daily cases have grown 5% nationwide over the last 14 days, according to COVIDActNow.
New York City continues to be stuck in a dangerous limbo. The city's case rates--the number of positives per 100,000 residents--have been stubbornly high for weeks, as progress has plateaued at about 3,800 new incidents per day. Deaths and hospitalizations remain low in the five boroughs, but those indicators lag behind case surges by several weeks.
On Monday, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, issued an urgent warning that the country could be facing "impending doom."
“We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope, but right now I’m scared," she said, before urging Americans to hang on "just hold on a little longer."
The lack of progress in halting transmission has left some lawmakers anxious about the pace of reopening in New York.
After lifting the ban on indoor dining last month, Governor Andrew Cuomo has reopened indoor fitness classes and movie theaters with capacity restrictions in recent weeks. Arts and entertainment venues are poised to follow on Friday.
Both Cuomo and de Blasio have previously faced scrutiny for delaying social distancing measures at the start of the pandemic. According to one analysis by Columbia University, imposing lockdown measures in New York even one week earlier could have spared roughly 17,000 lives in the metro region.
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Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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