Health officials in New York City reported another steady rise in coronavirus cases a day ahead of a self-imposed deadline to reinstate some lockdown restrictions in hopes of containing the growing clusters.

Cases of the virus in neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn raised new concerns in a city that maintained low infection rates for several months. The clusters identified by health officials in the two boroughs increased 3.3 times over the city recorded in the past 14 days, the New York Department of Health revealed over the weekend.

Clusters have grown so alarmingly over the past week – and again these last days – that the health department say reopening cancellations can be implemented for the first time in the city’s recovery period if progress is not made. He set a Monday deadline for this.

The increase in positive COVID cases was largest in the Gravesend / Homecrest area, where the positivity rate reached 6.75% on Sunday. Other problem areas include Midwood (5.34%), Kew Gardens (3.82%), Edgemere / Far Rockaway (3.9%), Borough Park (4.63%), Bensonhurst / Mapleton (4.41 %), Sheepshead Bay (3.91%), Flatlands / Midwood (3.85 percent) and Williamsburg (1.78 percent).

Four new postal codes have been added to the department’s watch list: Rego Park (2.34%, Kew Gardens Hills / Pomonok (2.71%), Kensington / Windsor Terrace (2.45%), and Brighton Beach / Manhattan Beach / Sheepshead Bay (2.74%).

The health ministry said there would be regular inspections of all non-public schools in the cluster area and adjacent postcodes, and enforcement staff would be increased to ensure compliance with the mask and social distancing remains in place. NBC New York’s Tracie Strahan reports.

The number of positive tests reported daily in the state has been steadily increasing in recent weeks, a trend perhaps linked to the reopening of the growing number of businesses, the reopening of college campuses and the return of children to school.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday that there were 1,005 positive cases the day before, Friday, out of 99,953 tests, for a rate of 1% positive. This positivity remained the same in Sunday’s report, but the number of positive results rose to 866.

From late July to early September, the state saw an average of around 660 people who tested positive per day. In the seven-day period that ended Friday, the state had an average of 817 positive tests per day.

In New Jersey, for the second day in a row, more than 700 people have tested positive for the coronavirus. The transmission rate has declined but remains above 1%, according to Gov. Phil Murphy.