In hard-hit New York City, preliminary data shows the largest percentage of coronavirus deaths is among Hispanics, which New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called “blatant inequality.”
Hispanics make up 34% of coronavirus deaths though they make up 29% of the city’s population.
Further, African Americans make up 28% of coronavirus deaths, though they make up 22% of the city’s population, the preliminary data shows.
Meanwhile, whites make up 27% of deaths and 32% of the population, and Asians make up 7% of deaths and 14% of the population.
The breakdown, with 63% reporting, was provided by New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
The mayor said to confront disparities, the city is enacting initiatives including: grassroots outreach such as calling households and robocalls; PSAs focusing on zip codes with the highest positive cases; and PSAs published in 14 different languages.
In better news, de Blasio said Wednesday, “for the first time in awhile … we will get through this week” in terms of ventilators.
The city has 5,500 ventilators available in hospitals, including 500 received from the state on Tuesday, he said. There are also 135 ventilators in an emergency reserve.
