In New York City’s first week, battling the pandemic and then a devastating fire. | News Today

Before taking office as mayor of New York City, Eric Adams repeatedly said his top priority was serving as the city’s cheerleader and promoting his recovery.

Mr. Adams quickly began to fulfill this wish. In his first week in office, he moved to bolster the city’s health care system amid an increase in hospitalizations for coronavirus. He fought to keep schools open even as they closed in other cities like Chicago.

And on Sunday, he faced a devastating new challenge when the city suffered its deadliest fire in decades and at least 17 people died, including eight children. He held two press conferences at the Bronx fire site and called for the unit at a time of dire loss. “During a tragedy, we are going to be there for each other,” he said.

Mr Adams, a Democrat and former police captain, faces the most daunting challenges for a mayor since the inauguration of Michael R. Bloomberg shortly after the 9/11 attacks. New York City had started to recover from the economic devastation of the pandemic this fall, but the Omicron surge in December resulted in the cancellation of some Broadway shows and offices emptied once again as the new mayor took office.