Clusters of cases have emerged in Brooklyn and New York City’s northern suburbs, in areas with large Orthodox Jewish communities.

By Jesse McKinley and Luis Ferré-Sadurní

After months of a decline in the rate of positive test results, New York reported a spike in its rate of new coronavirus cases on Monday, as state and New York City officials continued to warn about dangerous behavior in several communities in the city and its northern suburbs.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said the statewide positivity rate was approximately 1.58 percent, a sharp increase from results reported on Sunday, and weeks prior.

Mr. Cuomo, a third-term Democrat, said the increase was primarily because of clusters in Brooklyn, as well as in Rockland and Orange Counties, in the Hudson Valley, saying there was “significant action” in those areas.

Officials are particularly concerned about eight neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens, some with large Orthodox Jewish communities, that have accounted for about one-fourth of New York City’s new cases in the past two weeks, despite representing about 7 percent of the city’s population.

On Friday, New York City health officials began carrying out emergency inspections at private religious schools in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods, and threatened to limit gatherings or force closings of businesses or schools if there was not better compliance to social distancing requirements.

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