By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
The number of active COVID-19 cases has fallen in Cape May County over the past week and close to 14,000 vaccinations have been administered.
Officials said studies are showing Cape May County has the lowest number of coronavirus cases per capita and the best vaccination rate by population.
On Friday, Feb. 5, the county Department of Health administered 352 doses of the vaccine, bringing its total to 6,106, but that number is more than doubled when adding in the other entities providing the vaccines. All told as of Friday, there were 13,972 doses – including first and second doses – administered in the county.
The department reported a 30 percent drop in coronavirus cases comparing the period of Jan. 28 to Feb. 3 with the seven days prior.
As of Sunday, there were 405 active cases countywide, seven in long-term care and four among non-residents, all in Cape May.
Of the 428 cases in the communities, there were 81 in Lower Township, 88 in Middle Township, 74 in Ocean City and 59 in Upper Township.
Other active cases included Wildwood (23), Dennis Township (24), Wildwood Crest (15), Cape May (10), Woodbine (7), Sea Isle City (6), West Cape May and Avalon (3 each), and Cape May Point (1). There were no active cases in Stone Harbor and West Wildwood.
Of the 38 new cases reported Saturday, 13 were in Ocean City, eight each in Upper Township and Middle Township, and four in Lower Township. There were 34 new cases reported Sunday, including 12 in Middle Township, 10 in Lower Township, three in Ocean City and none in Upper Township.
The Department of Health announced the death of a 78-year-old Ocean City man Saturday, an 82-year-old man from Middle Township on Friday, a 75-year-old woman from Avalon on Thursday, a 90-year-old man from Ocean City on Wednesday, Feb. 3, and a 69-year-old Middle Township woman and 78-year-old man from Wildwood on Feb. 2.
As of Sunday, 169 county residents have died because of the coronavirus since the pandemic began in March 2020, including 93 in long-term care and 76 in the various communities.
In the nearly 11 months since the pandemic began, there have been 51 deaths in Lower Township (33 in long-term care), 32 in Middle Township (half in long-term care), 22 in Ocean City (14 in long-term care), 23 in Dennis Township (19 in long-term care), 16 in Woodbine (11 in long-term care), six each in Upper Township and Wildwood, three each in Cape May, Wildwood Crest and North Wildwood, two in Sea Isle City and one each in West Cape May and Avalon. There have been no fatalities in Cape May Point, Avalon or West Wildwood.
Keeping things in perspective, Cape May County remains among the New Jersey counties least impacted by the coronavirus.