By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
With more COVID-19 cases among Atlantic County residents from infants to the elderly and rising fatalities – including those around 50 years old and younger – county government and AtlantiCare are expanding testing for the coronavirus over the next 18 months.
Between Dec. 15 and 21, there have been 1,202 new cases of COVID-19 and 19 deaths, pushing the total to 12,939 cases and 324 deaths since the pandemic began.
Last week the county received $1.6 million in federal funds Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity-Enhancing Detection grant funding. In addition to the weekly testing at the county site in Northfield, residents may now take advantage of AtlantiCare’s facilities seven days a week. They include AtlantiCare’s five Urgent Care Centers with locations in Atlantic City, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township, Hammonton and Somers Point as well as its designated COVID-19 testing center in Egg Harbor Township.
According to the county, the expanded testing will target symptomatic individuals and contacts of COVID-19-positive individuals as well as those at highest risk, including frontline health care workers in hospitals, group homes, long-term care facilities and outpatient settings; first responders; social service workers in group homes, homeless shelters and congregate settings, and those living in group homes and congregate settings; transportation personnel; food service workers; childcare and summer camp workers; and staff of correctional facilities. Additionally, some asymptomatic individuals may be recommended for testing by federal, state or local health officials or agencies.
“Anyone is susceptible to COVID-19 but members of these targeted populations face the greatest risk of exposure,” County Executive Dennis Levinson said in a press release. “With the resurgence of cases, our goal is to quickly identify COVID-19 cases, quarantine those exposed and mitigate community spread.”
County residents who are members of these groups and are seeking testing for COVID-19 symptoms or exposure may call the AtlantiCare Access Center at 1-888-285-2684, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Those with health insurance will have their insurance charged for the testing. Those without health insurance will not be turned away.
Daily totals
Monday, Dec. 21: There were two deaths – a 70-year-old Northfield man and a 79-year-old Pleasantville woman, both with pre-existing conditions, and 45 new cases among residents from 11 to 80 years old after a record-setting day Sunday.
Sunday, Dec. 20: There were 342 new cases and three deaths – a 67-year-old woman from Hammonton, a 94-year-old woman from Atlantic City and a 71-year-old man from Pleasantvile who lived in a.long-term care facility.
Of the 342 new cases, 188 were among males from 1 month old to 96 years old and among 154 females from 3 months old to 103 years old.
There were 17 cases in Northfield, 14 in Somers Point and nine in Linwood.
Egg Harbor Township reported 70 cases, Atlantic City had 42, Pleasantville had 39, Galloway Township had 38, Hamilton Township had 29 and Hammonton had 18. There were 12 in Absecon, 11 in Brigantine, eight in Buena Vista Township, seven in Buena Borough, six in Mullica Township, five in Weymouth Township, four in Margate and three in Egg Harbor City.
Saturday, Dec. 19: There were 137 new cases and the death of a 75-year-old Longport man with pre-existing health conditions.
Of the new cases, 72 were among females from 1 month old to 99 years old and 65 were among males from 4 months old to 98 years old.
There were five new cases in each of Linwood and Northfield and four in Somers Point.
Egg Harbor Township had 35 cases and there were 25 in Galloway Township, 12 in Atlantic City, 11 in Pleasantville, eight in Hammonton, seven in Hamilton Township, six in Buena Vista Township, five in Absecon, three each in Ventnor and Mullica Township, two in Folsom and one each in Brigantine, Margate, Buena Borough, Egg Harbor City, Estell Manor and Weymouth Township.
Friday, Dec. 18: There were 159 new cases, including 77 males from 2 months old to 81 years old and 82 females from 1 year old to 85.
Linwood and Northfield had seven cases each and Somers Point had six.
Thursday, Dec. 17: The division reported seven fatalities, the youngest a 45-year-old woman and 51-year-old man from Galloway. The other fatalities were an 82-year-old Somers Point man, a 95-year-old Linwood woman who lived in a long-term care facility, an 86-year-old Hammonton man and a 65-year-old man and 83-year-old woman from Hamilton Township. Five of the seven had pre-existing health conditions.
There also were 100 new cases among 51 females from 10 to 84 years old and among 49 males from 12 to 81 years old. Somers Point had four cases and Linwood and Northfield had two each.
Wednesday, Dec. 16: A one-month-old boy was among the 235 new cases of COVID-19 in the county and there were four deaths reported this day, including a 49-year-old.
Egg Harbor Township was the first community in the county to top 2,000 cases, about 500 higher than any other community.
The Division of Public Health announced three men, including an 80-year-old from Somers Point, a 49-year-old from Hamilton Township, and a 72-year-old from Galloway, and a 91-year-old Linwood woman as deaths attributed to the coronavirus. All four, the division said, had pre-existing health conditions.
Of the new cases, 121 were among females from 2 to 86 years old and 114 were among males from 1 month old to 88 years old.
Northfield reported 10 new cases and Linwood and Somers Point reported nine each.
Tuesday, Dec. 15: There were two deaths, a 58-year-old Atlantic City man and a 66-year-old Galloway Township man, and 184 new cases of COVID-19.
The Division of Public Health reported both men had pre-existing conditions.
Of the new cases, 100 were among females from 3 to 94 years old and among 84 males from 9 months old to 82 years old.
Linwood and Somers Point had six new cases each and Northfield had five.
There were 30 new cases in Egg Harbor Township, 23 in Galloway Township, 2 in Atlantic City, 21 in Pleasantville, 19 in Hamilton Township, 10 in Hammonton, eight each in Buena Vista Township and Ventnor, seven in Buena Borough, six in Absecon, four in Brigantine and three in Margate.
