STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Despite sharp spikes elsewhere in the country, the rate of positive coronavirus (COVID-19) tests remained below 3% on Staten Island for the sixth straight week, data show.

In fact, the percentage of positive tests in the borough over the past seven days decreased from the prior one-week period.

As of Thursday afternoon, 2.56%, or 132 of the 5,159 borough residents who were checked since July 16 have confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the most recent data compiled by GitHub, which is linked to the city Heath Departments web site.

Previously, for the week between July 9 and July 15, the positive test rate was 2.82%.

Over the past month-and-a-half, the lowest positive test rate was 2.36% between June 18 and June 24.

Earlier last month, the rate had been above 3%, specifically, 3.44% from June 4 into June 10.

At the same time, Thursdays data showed the continuing decline in Staten Islands total positive test rate since the pandemics outbreak in March.

Of the 81,673 residents checked thus far, 14,208, or 17.39%, have been infected, the data said.

Last week, 14,076 of the 76,514 Islanders examined through July 15, or 18.39%, had confirmed coronavirus cases.

Overall, the total infection rate is significantly lower than it was three months ago at the pandemics peak.

On April 16, of the 19,174 borough residents checked to that point, 9,108, or 47.5%, had confirmed cases.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

The highest percentage of positive tests remains in two North Shore ZIP codes 10302 and 10303.

ZIP code 10302, which includes Port Richmond and Elm Park, has retained the highest positive rate on Staten Island 21.34%, or 654 of 3,065 residents checked.

But fewer individuals have been tested in that ZIP code compared to all but one other in the borough.

ZIP code 10303, which includes Mariners Harbor, continues to have the second highest rate of confirmed cases 19.51% - or 918 of the 4,706 residents examined.

Third highest was ZIP code 10305 with 1,316 of the 7,274 residents checked testing positive, or 18.09%.

Communities in ZIP code 10305 include Arrochar, Fort Wadsworth, Grasmere, Ocean Breeze, Rosebank, Shore Acres, South Beach, and part of Dongan Hills.

ZIP Code 10304 has the fourth highest rate of confirmed cases.

Residents there were positive 18.04% of the time 1,448 of 8,026 individuals examined

ZIP code 10304 covers a long swath of the East and North shores, including Clifton, Concord, Emerson Hill, Stapleton, Todt Hill and part of Dongan Hills.

While the rate of confirmed cases in ZIP codes 10314 and 10312 are toward the middle of the pack, those two ZIP codes continue to have the greatest number of total cases.

They are two of the boroughs largest ZIP code areas.

In ZIP code 10314, of the 15,769 residents checked, 2,780, or 17.63%, have confirmed cases, said the data.

ZIP code 10314 includes such communities as Bulls Head, Castleton Corners, Graniteville, Meiers Corners, New Springville, Travis, Westerleigh and Willowbrook.

There were 1,600 confirmed cases in ZIP code 10312, which displayed a positive rate of 16.79% for the 9,532 residents examined.

ZIP code 10312 includes Annadale, Arden Heights, Eltingville, Greenridge and Huguenot.

Positive test rates in the remaining communities ranged from 15.92% in ZIP code 10306 to 17.5% in ZIP code 10307.

Residents in ZIP code 10306 had 1,519 positive cases in 9,539 tests.

Included in its area are Egbertville, Grant City, Midland Beach, New Dorp, New Dorp Beach, Oakwood, Richmond, and part of Dongan Hills.

ZIP code 10307, whose residents had tested positive in 406 of 2,320 examinations, contains Tottenville.

ZIP code 10307 has the lowest number of overall documented cases, as well as the fewest number of individuals examined.

Following ZIP codes 10314 and 10312, the highest number of total confirmed coronavirus cases have occurred in residents in zip codes 10306, 10304, 10305, 10301 (1,273 of 7,423), 10303, 10309 (886 of 5,354), 10310 (730 of 4,413), 10308 (678 of 4,252), 10302 and 10307.

DEATHS

Additional data show the disease has claimed the most lives in ZIP codes 10314 and 10304.

As of Thursday afternoon, there had been 203 fatalities in ZIP code 10314 in which the decedent was a confirmed coronavirus case.

That figure marked an increase of one over the past week.

The death total remained slightly lower 182 in ZIP code 10304, which saw no change in the number of reported fatalities from July 16.

The tally does not include probable coronavirus fatalities, which the city has also been tracking daily.

A death is classified as probable if the decedent was a city resident who had no known positive laboratory test for the coronavirus, but the death certificate lists COVID-19 or an equivalent as a cause of death.

A Health Department source said the figures reflect totals as of when they are reported to the agency and not when the deaths occur. All data are preliminary and subject to change.

Below, in descending order, are the number of deaths in confirmed coronavirus cases for the remaining ZIP codes. There was no change from July 16 in any of those areas:

See the article here:

Positive coronavirus test rates on Staten Island remain low. Check for your ZIP code. - silive.com