GRIM NUMBERS: New York City Had Most Deaths Since 1970s, Fewest Births Ever In First Pandemic Year

GOTHAMIST: 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.

The findings were issued as part of the New York City Health Department’s annual analysis of vital statistics from 2019. But the numbers offer an early preview of 2020’s birth and death statistics — and how Covid-19 reshaped those trends.

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.

“We have seen the devastating toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused in New York City,” Chokshi said in a statement.

“New Yorkers have suffered so much. My heart is with all New Yorkers mourning a friend, family member or loved one lost to this terrible virus.”

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....

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