By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
The Cape May County Department of Health reported three COVID-19 related deaths Monday, including a 66-year-old Upper Township man and a 95-year-old Ocean City woman and 87-year-old Dennis Township man, both in long-term care.
That news comes on the heels of the deparment noting the Southeast region of the state, which includes Cape May County, has the lowest COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 residents in the state. Still, the department urged residents to continue following health protocols of social distancing, wearing masks and hand hygiene because the statewide activity is high.
New positive tests remain high in early December compared to the early fall.
On Sunday the department announced Sunday it has expanded testing capacity and that anyone who believes they should be tested should call the department at (609) 463-6581. Testing will be done by appointment on Mondays and Wednesdays, excluding holidays, at the Cape May County Fire Academy. A mobile testing unit is in the community Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The county will bill an individual’s insurance, if applicable, but if the person does not have insurance the cost will be covered.
At the beginning of this week there were still more than 500 active COVID-19 cases, including 491 in the various county communities, another 23 in long-term care facilities and 35 among non-residents. All 35 of the non-resident cases are Cape May.
Lower Township and Middle Township have the most active cases with 108 and 102, respectively. Cumulatively the next highest are the Wildwoods, with 38 in Wildwood, 34 in North Wildwood, 18 in Wildwood Crest and three in West Wildwood.
Ocean City had 55 active cases and Upper Township had 61. Ocean City had nine active cases in long-term care, down from a high of 42 in recent weeks.
Other active cases include 17 in Cape May – not counting the 35 non-resident cases – and nine in Woodbine, seven in West Cape May, six in Avalon, eight in Sea Isle City, two each in Stone Harbor and Cape May Point.
On Sunday, there were 38 new cases reported, with nine each in Lower and Middle townships.
On Saturday, there were 62 new cases reported and two deaths in long-term care, both 82-year-old men, one in Ocean City and the other in Dennis Township.
Of the 62 new cases, 55 were in the communities, including 14 in Lower Township, eight in Middle Township and seven in Upper Township, and 13 were among non-residents – all of them in Cape May. There also was one new case in long-term care.
There were 45 new cases among residents reported on Friday, Dec. 4, along with five non-residents all in Cape May, and three in long-term care.
On Thursday, Dec. 3, there were 53 new cases among residents, five in long-term care in Ocean City and one among non-residents.
On that day, the Department of Health reported Cape May County’s rate of transmission number at 0.87, meaning fewer than one new person was getting infected for everyone who tested positive for COVID-19. That was the lowest number in the state, but again, the department warned the current wave was not continuing and urged residents to follow safety protocols.
On Wednesday, Dec. 2, there were 54 new positive tests and the day before, 50 new positive tests.
Cases surpass 3,000
As of Monday, there have been 3,200 cases of COVID-19 in Cape May County and . There also have been 73 deaths in long-term care facilities and another 43 fatalities in the communities.
State numbers, lack of cooperation
At his press COVID-19 press conference Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy said he was not planning new restrictions on in-person dining in restaurants, but said “for those who think they can make up their own rules, I have a message for you, ‘we will shut you down.’” He referenced police closing two speakeasies in Patterson.
Murphy urged residents to cooperate with contact tracers because three-quarters of people contacted by tracers trying to track infections are refusing to cooperate.
“They are not on a witch hunt. They are only concerned with stopping the spread of the virus,” he said.
Statewide, New Jersey set a record over the weekend with more than 6,000 new cases of COVID-19 and as of Monday there have been 371,579 cases of the coronavirus and 15,550 deaths attributed to it with another 1,836 probable deaths.
Medical director pleads for cooperation
State Medical Director Dr. Edward Lifshitz said he suspected the recent surge in COVID-19 cases was due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
He said New Jersey residents should again avoid large family gatherings and other get-togethers during the upcoming holidays.
“I’m really not crazy about wearing a mask,” he said. “I certainly don’t like what this pandemic has done to my children in their athletic, academic and social and professional lives. And I really don’t like what it’s doing to my neighbors and community, the disruption of family and social life especially during this holiday season and the economic pain that is apparent as businesses falter. But what I really hate is thinking about the families of more than 15,000 New Jerseyans who died. I am sorry I won’t be able see my friends and extended family this holiday season. I will miss them, but it is temporary.”
For the families with loved ones who died from COVID-19, he said, the loss is permanent, he said.