(CNN) Fifty New York City Department of Education employees have died in connection to coronavirus, 21 of whom were teachers, according to the DOE.

"This is painful news for too many of our communities -- each number represents a life, a member of one our schools or offices, and the pain their loved ones are experiencing is unimaginable," New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said in a statement.

New York has been a focal point for the coronavirus pandemic in the US, and the city has been hit especially hard. New York City has reported more than 106,000 coronavirus cases and 6,182 deaths, according to the city's website.

The deaths of the DOE employees were reported by their families.

They have not been confirmed as related to coronavirus by the Department of Health because the DOH is no longer confirming individual cases due to community transmission, according to DOE spokeswoman Miranda Barbot.

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