By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
COVID-19 has hit Hammonton the hardest among communities in Atlantic County, with the most cases and the most deaths during the pandemic.
According to the Atlantic County Department of Public Health, through Monday, Sept. 21, there have been 57 coronavirus-related fatalities and 681 positive test results in that community.
That accounts for nearly a quarter of the COVID-19 deaths in the county.
Although there a number of towns with far more positive test results, Northfield has seen 31 COVID-19-related deaths with 167 positive tests.
Only Galloway, with 37 fatalities, and Hammonton had more deaths than Northfield.
Pleasantville, with 533; Egg Harbor Township, with 526; Atlantic City, with 525, all reported more COVID-19 cases than Galloway, which had 436 as of Monday.
There have been 25 deaths in Egg Harbor Township, 20 in Pleasantville and 18 in Atlantic City since the statistics have been kept during the pandemic, which began in mid-March.
Absecon has reported 26 fatalities and 267 cases.
Linwood has seen 99 cases and 13 fatalities, and Somers Point has had 91 cases, but no deaths related to the coronavirus.
Other communities that have reported no fatalities so far have included Longport (11 cases); Port Republic (8 cases); Folsom (24 cases); Estell Manor (15 cases); and Corbin City (3 cases).
Hamilton Township has eight deaths and 362 cases as of Sept. 20; Ventnor has three deaths and 99 cases; Weymouth Township has one death and 17 cases; Mullica Township has one death and 43 cases; Margate has two deaths and 55 cases; Egg Harbor City has two deaths and 95 cases; Buena Borough has four deaths and 76 cases; and Brigantine and Buena Vista Township have one death apiece. Brigantine has reported 61 cases and Buena Vista Township, 59.
Through Sept. 21, there have been 4,259 cases and 250 deaths.
There were seven new cases on Sunday, one each in Northfield, Pleasantville, Margate, Hammonton, Egg Harbor City, Buena Vista Township and Brigantine. There was one new death in Atlantic City.
Those cases included three men from 19 to 67 years old and four women from 25 to 35 years old.
On Monday, the Division of Public Health confirmed 10 new coronavirus tests, including four in Egg Harbor Township, two each in Brigantine and Galloway and one each in Linwood and Buena Vista Township. The latest cases include three males from 16 to 66 years old and seven women from 19 to 57 years old.
There were no new deaths reported on Monday.
Of the total 4,259 cases, 2,854 has been reported as recovered from the coronavirus.