Local cases increasing, still lower in south N.J.
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
By Monday afternoon, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had climbed to 19 in Cape May County and to 31 in neighboring Atlantic County.
Five of those infected in Cape May County had recovered, dropping active cases to 14, according to the Cape May County Department of Health. Atlantic County also reported that five patients had been cleared.
While numbers were still relatively low in south Jersey compared to north Jersey, they had risen to 16,636 cases statewide, with 198 reported deaths by Monday afternoon.
Gov. Phil Murphy kept reinforcing his message that social distancing is the most important thing individuals can do to ensure there will be enough hospital capacity to handle patients when the pandemic hits its peak in the Garden State.
Late Sunday night, March 29, the Cape May County Department of Health reported five new cases – the single biggest day for positive tests.
“The new cases in Cape May County include a 12-year-old female, 21-year-old male, a 56-year-old female, 63-year-old male, and a 78-year-old male,” the department reported.
On Monday, there were another five cases reported: a 35-year-old male, 93-year-old female, 68-year-old female, 56-year-old female and a 63-year-old male.
The department also said five individuals have recovered in the county, one each from Ocean City, Upper Township, Avalon, Lower Township and Middle Township, leaving no active cases in Avalon, Ocean City and Upper Township.
There remain three cases in the City of Cape May, four in Lower Township, two in Middle Township and Wildwood, and one each in Sea Isle City, Northwildwood and Wildwood Crest.
“The Atlantic County Division of Public Health reported seven more residents have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Sunday, March 29, bringing the total number of cases countywide to 25,” according to Linda Gilmore, the county’s public information officer. On Monday, she added five more cases. There was an additional case reported Tuesday morning, Gildmore said, adding that “five patients have now been cleared.”
As a comparison, as of Monday afternoon, Bergen County led the state with 2,482 positive tests. Essex County had 1,564; Hudson County, 1,314; Union County, 1,213; Middlesex County, 1,234; and Passaic County, 1,091.
“There is no treatment at this time for COVID-19, which makes prevention even more important, said Cape May County Health Officer Kevin Thomas. “The best way to prevent COVID-19 is by avoiding being exposed, which is why we are urging everyone to practice social distancing. We are doing our part in trying to flatten the curve, but we need our residents to take action and do their part as well, this is a team effort.”
At the press conference, the governor announced the totals as of Monday afternoon with a jump in new positive cases. The total number of New Jersey residents who died was at 198, “each one of them a precious life lost. God rest their souls.”
“These numbers never get any easier to report,” Murphy said. He added that long-term care facilities are “a particular area of concern. A lot of folks are worried about their moms and dads. We’re doing everything we can to aggressively get out ahead of this as fast as we can.”
During his press conference, he displayed graphics showing how social distancing, having people stay at home unless they must go out, is required to keep the COVID-19 infection rate low enough so the health care system is not overwhelmed.
Social distancing is “absolutely necessary” to limit the spread of COVID-19, to save lives and to protect the ability of the health care system to help the people who need help the most, Murphy said. “I try to hammer this point home every day.”
“The absolute number one weapon at our disposal is … to stay at home, practice social distancing,” he said.
With the current capacity of hospital beds limited to 18,000, with 2,000 critical care beds, the state is working to increase the number of beds to accommodate more patients, but without social distancing, the coronavirus would spread so fast it would require 80,000 hospital beds at its peak in early to mid-May, according to the governor.
Murphy said the state is calling on retired nurses and doctors, nursing and medical students, EMTS, former members of the Armed Services’ medical corps to “join the fight.” To volunteer, he said to go online to covid19.nj.gov/volunteer.
He announced the state attorney general is starting a task force to investigate fraud and crimes related to COVID-19. Citizens can anonymously report unlawful hoarding of medical supplies and price gouging to (866) 720-5721 or by email at disaster@leo.gov.
The governor said gun stores are allowed to be open by appointment only because they are considered essential under federal law, even though he personally disagreed with that designation.
Realtors are allowed to show homes to prospective clients, but they are not allowed to have open houses where groups of people could congregate.
Murphy also suggested concerned citizens could self-test on the state’s website, covid19.nj.gov to see if they have symptoms that could help them decide whether to contact their physician.
Although there is an increase in tests available, he said it remains critical that the “worried well” – people who fear they are infected but aren’t symptomatic – keep stepping aside so people with symptoms can talk to their doctors and get tested.
“The reality is that given what we have, with overwhelming demand, we must test symptomatic people,” Murphy said, adding that will also provide the best data to health professional to understand the spread of the coronavirus.
Judith M. Persichilli, RN, BSN, MA, commissioner of Department of Health, said the CHIME (COVID-19 Hospital Impact Model for Epidemics) said with a 31 percent rate of social distancing, the state would reach its ICU capacity on April 11 and an all-hospital-bed capacity on May 8. To be fully able to handle the load, the social distancing percentage should be 50 percent. She said getting to 40 to 45 percent is an achievable goal.
On the other front, Perischilli said the state is working with hospitals to increase the number of critical care beds and medical surgical beds. She expects the large hospitals will focus on critical care and that field hospitals and other facilities, such as hospitals that have been closed or dormitories, could be used to handle lower levels of care.
She said more than 40,000 tests for COVID-19 had been performed to date, with 15,582 positive tests – a rate of 38 percent.
She and the governor kept reiterating that the only way to “flatten the curve” – to decrease the number of peak coronavirus cases happening at once – remains social distancing.
“We can crush the top of that curve,” Murphy said. “We have got to stay at home. Stay away from each other. Set the bar for social distancing. We are New Jersey. We can do this. We must do this.”
According to the Cape May County Department of Health, residents should also continue to take simple steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
Wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rubbing for at least 20 seconds, or using alcohol-based sanitizer if soap and water are not available; cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing; stay home if you are sick; regularly clean high-touch surfaces; when you must go out for essential items practice social distancing, minimize your time out and wash your hands as soon as possible afterwards.
“Stay up to date on the current situation as it evolves,” the department noted. “Some reliable sources are New Jersey Poison Information and Education System hotline at 211 or 1-800-962-1253, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov, the World Health Organization at www.who.int, the New Jersey Department of Health at COVID19.nj.gov. For additional information visit Cape May County Department of Health at www.cmchealth.net, also like us on Facebook.”