As the novel coronavirus takes more lives and infects more people, residents and medical professionals are reporting disproportionate numbers in parts of the city.

More people are being diagnosed with COVID-19 each day, but in the Bronx, the second smallest borough, people are seeing the highest number of deaths confirmed in people with underlying conditions.

Reports show that there are high numbers of underlying conditions in the Bronx, which leaves residents twice as likely to die from COVID-19.

TRACKER: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut coronavirus cases and deaths 

The Bronx has the most confirmed deaths due to an underlying condition, at about 500.

According to City Councilmember Ritchie Torres, the numbers are so high in the Bronx because of the high density, people with those underlying health conditions and a high population of health care workers in the borough.

News 12 spoke with Torres, who actually had coronavirus and has recovered.

 

"The death toll tells a story about the inequalities of American society and the Bronx is often left behind the latest example the Bronx is among the highest death toll yet it has no testing site of its own and testing is essential,” says Torres.

Torres says for now he is working on getting a testing site in the South Bronx.

He says there needs to be a focus on eliminating poverty, which leads to poor health conditions across those populations.