Crown Heights Tests Show High Coronavirus Antibodies: Cuomo

Matt Troutman
Updated ·2 min read

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Early results from coronavirus antibody tests shows Crown Heights is one of the top 10 most impacted communities in the city, Gov. Andrew Cuomo revealed Wednesday.

About 34 percent of people tested in Crown Heights' 11213 zip code had COVID-19 antibodies, indicating they had the coronavirus at some point, Cuomo said.

That's the sixth-highest level for a zip code in New York City, which showed an average of about 20 percent, according to a governor's office presentation. It's a zip code that has seen 127 confirmed coronavirus deaths as of Wednesday, city data shows.

"Where are new cases coming from?" Cuomo said. "Where is the spread continuing? Low-income communities, communities of color. They tend to be high Latino, high African American population. And we are seeing that pattern continue in zip codes, lower-income, predominantly minority."

Gov. Andrew Cuomo released information Wednesday on a series of COVID-19 antibody tests taken across New York City. (NY Governor's Office)
Gov. Andrew Cuomo released information Wednesday on a series of COVID-19 antibody tests taken across New York City. (NY Governor's Office)

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Morrisania in the Bronx showed the highest positive rate of antibodies, with 43 percent, followed by Brownsville in Brooklyn, with 41 percent, according to the data.

The tests were conducted in churches in low-income communities of color across New York that have been ravaged by the virus. That effort was coordinated by Brooklyn congressional representatives Hakeem Jeffries, Yvette Clarke and Nydia Velazquez.

The tests by Northwell Health are still underway, but 8,000 results so far show high levels of coronavirus antibodies among people in the Bronx — 34 percent overall — followed by Brooklyn with 29 percent, Cuomo said.

"Data shows high positive rates and continued community spread," read a graphic in Cuomo's presentation.

The church tests will expand to 72 sites overall between Northwell and Somos Community Care, along with 40 more sites in New York City public housing, Cuomo said.

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This article originally appeared on the Prospect Heights-Crown Heights Patch