From 2019 to 2020, births in New York City dropped 9.4%, while deaths surged by 51%. according to the health department. “We have seen the devastating toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused in New York City,” says Health Commissioner Dr. Chokshi.
A refrigerated semi-trailer truck is converted to a morgue outside The Brooklyn Hospital Center during the Coronavirus outbreak.A refrigerated semi-trailer truck is converted to a morgue outside The Brooklyn Hospital Center during the Coronavirus outbreak.Fewer babies were born in New York City in 2020 than any year on record, while more residents died across the five boroughs in a single year than they had since the early 1970’s, according to recently released city data.
Births dropped 9.4 percent from the prior year to 100,022, while deaths surged by 51 percent to 82,143, according to the health department. Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi attributed the striking changes in demographic trends to the COVID-19 pandemic that wreaked havoc on New York City and brought normal life to a screeching halt during much of 2020.
The estimated death rate based on the population from the year earlier was about 9.9 deaths per 1,000 residents, up from 6.5 in 2019 — a level not seen since the early 1990’s when another epidemic, HIV/AIDS was rattling New York City and murders reached historic heights. The Health Department didn’t provide a mortality rate for 2020 because it was still confirming statistics on population size for that year.