In New York City, more than a third of those killed by coronavirus are Latino

The Latino community is the demographic most affected by the coronavirus in New York City, which is also the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday.

A preliminary report indicates that 34% of the 3,602 deaths from covid-19 as of this Wednesday are Hispanic. The demographic, however, constitutes 29% of the population of the largest American city and has 8.6 million inhabitants.

“It’s a glaring disparity,” de Blasio said at a press conference.

The head of the executive cited as one of the main reasons for this figure the language barrier, and announced a new information campaign on preventive measures against coronavirus in 14 languages.

But he also referred to the role that immigration status plays for a relevant percentage of the demographic. One-third of Hispanics in New York, approximately one million people, are undocumented immigrants without health insurance, according to estimates of the municipal government.

“What has happened in the last couple of years has led many immigrants, especially the undocumented but also those who have papers, to move away from the places where they would normally seek support or medical attention“Said the mayor in reference to the policy of the Donald Trump administration that aims to reduce immigration in the country.

Due to the economic hardships that many of them experience, they are unable to quarantine and are forced to continue working as food delivery people, cleaners or babysitters to feed their families. Several fear seeking medical assistance for fear of deportation.

Most of the deaths in New York have taken place in the boroughs of Queens and the Bronx, inhabited mostly by immigrants.

“I believe the layer of anti-immigrant rhetoric across the country has real implications for the health of our community.”Said in the same press conference the New York Health Commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot, who is Puerto Rican.

Barbot indicated that the disparity is also due to the low income of the Hispanic community – which forces them to continue working despite the confinement measures – their lower rate of medical coverage, underlying chronic diseases or their overcrowding in multi-family housing.

As in other cities in the country such as Chicago, the coronavirus also affects African Americans disproportionately in New York, with 28% of deaths, when they constitute 22% of the population.

According to the chief epidemiologist of the White House, Anthony Fauci, minorities are particularly affected by pre-existing conditions as well. “We have known literally forever that diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and asthma disproportionately affect populations. minorities, particularly African Americans. It is precisely these conditions that drive people to intensive care, require intubation, and often lead to death.”, He expressed.

27% of deaths from covid-19 in New York occurred among white people (32% of the population) and 7% in Asians (14% of the population).

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