42.4 F
New York
Friday, March 29, 2024

Cluster of Coronavirus Cases Confirmed in NYC’s Orthodox Jewish Community

Related Articles

-Advertisement-

Must read

Terrible news for the religious Jewish communities of Borough Park and Williamsburg, as several patients deemed positive for coronavirus have been identified.

 

According to Asisa Urgent Care, there were at least 243 positive cases identified in a trio of Brooklyn locations. To date, 481 coronavirus tests have been run at three locations – all but 1% or 2% of them from the frum Jewish community.

 

The results came from a total thus far of 481 tests, at the three urgent care centers – two in Borough Park, the other in Williamsburg. About 98 to 99 percent of those tested were from the orthodox community, the rep said.

 

“The Williamsburg rate is higher. They’re more infected over there,” an Asisa spokesperson told the New York Post. “As of Wednesday night, there were a total of 1,871 cases in the Big Apple, meaning the orthodox community accounts for about 13% of the city’s positive of the positive test results.”

 

Trouble began brewing earlier this week when videos became public showing members of the Orthodox community clearly flouting instructions about social distancing at jam-packed wedding ceremonies.

 

According to New York State Commissioner of Health Howard Zucker, officials are investigating the reports.

 

At the same time, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio as well as officials from the city’s health department said publicly that social distancing is being ignored in several parts of the city, not only in Borough Park.

 

Last Tuesday night, Williamsburg’s Satmar Rebbe released a statement in which he said that all synagogues, yeshivas and schools should be temporarily shuttered for at least the next 15 days.

 

Unfortunately, the infection seems to be spreading. Hamodia.com has reported that Crown Heights “is facing a major outbreak. A Crown Heights Hatzalah member told Hamodia that there are so many cases there that just about the entire community is considered to have been exposed. Local clinics are not testing for COVID-19; if people with symptoms test negative for the flu, they are presumed to have COVID-19. The Hatzalah member said there are “likely hundreds of people, if not more” in Crown Heights who have COVID-19. Around 10 Crown Heights patients are on respirators.”

 

The situation has also sparked something of a public relations nightmare, with propublica.org noted in a story headlined “As Coronavirus Cases Rise, Members of Some Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Communities Continue to Congregate” that “In spite of public health directives limiting public gatherings and a spike in coronavirus cases, some members of ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn were continuing to congregate in large groups Wednesday afternoon.”

 

balance of natureDonate

Latest article

- Advertisement -