By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
As deaths attributed to the COVID-19 virus topped 1,000 this week across New Jersey, and the state projected up to a half million cases at the peak, Cape May County and Atlantic County are reporting more positive cases and that two local residents have succumbed to the coronavirus.
Across the state, more than 41,000 have been infected and more than a thousand have died, according to the state Department of Health.
One resident of Cape May County died, a 72-year-old Upper Township woman with underlying health conditions, reported on Saturday, April 4. The Cape May County Department of Health reported a north Jersey resident, who was visiting family in Ocean City, also died, but that fatality statistic may be listed elsewhere because the person was not a resident of the county.
As of Monday afternoon, there were 99 cases in Cape May county. (That may not include the figures from Victoria Manor. See related story.)
The first local death was an Egg Harbor Township man in his late 50s, reported on April 2. So far, that is the only fatality related to COVID-19 in Atlantic County.
Drive-thru testing in Cape May County
Also on Saturday, the Cape May County Department of Health announced it was partnering with the CompleteCare Health Network to open a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site this week. The location is not being disclosed. It will be open one day a week for county residents and first responders who are symptomatic.
At this time, testing will only be for CompleteCare patients, as well as Cape May County residents, who are sick with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath and that meet a certain criteria. Symptomatic first responders who are residents of the county will also be given priority testing. In order to receive testing, individuals can go to CompleteCareNJ.org/COVID19 or call (609) 465-0258 and request to be screened,” the announcement said.
Drive-thru testing in Atlantic County
Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson announced Monday the state has approved a COVID-19 drive-thru testing site in the parking lot of the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing. It will provide testing by appointment for county residents who are symptomatic for COVID-19 and have a doctor’s script.
“The county will perform its first testing on Thursday, April 9 for symptomatic health care workers and first responders by appointment through the Office of Emergency Preparedness, according to Public Information Officer Linda Gilmore. “Public testing for symptomatic county residents with a doctor’s script will begin the week of April 13 and instructions for making appointments will be forthcoming.”
She said the county had 600 test kits and “the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) for the drive-thru facility.”
New cases in counties
On Monday morning, the Atlantic County Division of Public Health announced 13 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the county total to 140, according to Public Information Officer Linda Gilmore. Eight of the cases were in women ages 29 to 61 and five in men ages 48 to 64. Gilmore said public health officials confirmed another eight residents had recovered. There are now 19 Atlantic County residents who have recovered.
In Cape May County, the largest number of cases are in Lower Township, with 33. Middle Township has the next highest total with 15. Three people are off quarantine in both communities.
Upper Township is reported six active cases, one off quarantine and the one death. Ocean City has five cases and one person cleared.
Dennis Township, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest have five cases each. Avalon has four cases and North Wildwood has two, as of Monday. Communities with one case each include Cape May City, West Cape May and West Wildwood. There are no active cases in Cape May Point, Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor and Woodbine. Avalon and Cape May have two off quarantine and there is one person off quarantine in North Wildwood, Sea Isle City and Wildwood.
Prosecutor’s warning
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner is warning people not to fake a COVID-19 illness or they will be prosecuted.
In an announcement Sunday afternoon, Tyner wrote, “At a time when law enforcement and first responders are jeopardizing their health to care for our citizens, the last thing they need to worry about is the fear instilled by people faking a COVID-19 illness. Anyone threatening to cause hysteria or assaulting our citizenry by coughing or otherwise will be prosecuted.”
Campgrounds must remain closed
In Cape May County, officials said some campgrounds had decided to remain open, claiming they were providing lodging for health professionals, but they are not allowed to do that.
The Health Department and Prosecutor’s Office said all campgrounds must remain closed because “there has not been determined a need for medical lodging in Cape May County and this directly contradicts Gov. Phil Murphy’s Executive Order 107 ordering all campgrounds in the state closed and deemed unessential currently.”
“We need all businesses to listen to the orders by the Governor,” Health Officer Thomas said. “While we appreciate any business that wants to help during this time, it must be done prudentially and with the proper approvals.”
Block Party cancelled
The May 2 Spring Block Party in Ocean City, that annually fills Asbury Avenue with hundreds of craft booths and food vendors and drew tens of thousands of shoppers, has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wildwoods close beaches, boards
On Monday, Wildwood and North Wildwood closed all public beaches and the Boardwalk starting at midnight, Wednesday, April 8. They will remain closed until May 1. The communities also prohibited walking, running or biking on the North Wildwood bike path and sea wall, with an exception. Those activities are allowed on the bike path before 8 a.m. daily and walking and running are allowed before 8 a.m. daily on the sea wall.
The Borough of Wildwood Crest on Monday closed its beach and the entire length of its beachfront bicycle path to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The borough also closed all of its public parks and playgrounds.
Lighter note: Virtual Easter Fashion Show
Ocean City, like other shore communities, has an annual Easter Fashion Show. This year, because of the pandemic, it will be virtual.
To participate, those interested should submit their Easter Fashion photos to events@ocnj.us by 1 p.m. Sunday, April 12. They should include the name of the people in the photo and the category – Best Dressed Female, Most Unusual Bonnet (open to all ages), Best Bonnet (open to all ages), Best Dressed Teen Male, Best Dressed Teen Female, Best Dressed Couple (open to all ages) and Best Dressed Family.
Winners will be announced at www.ocnj.us by 8 p.m. that evening with prizes awarded for each category.
Judges say they are looking for creativity in fashion while families practice proper social distancing.
86,000 to 509,000 cases projected in NJ
Gov. Phil Murphy supported local municipalities’ requests, as reported last week, that they can restrict short-term rentals. He issued an administrative order to that effect. That includes hotels, motels, guest houses and private residences.
On Monday afternoon the governor showed projections that the peak date for infections could be between April 19 and May 11, with the number of cases ranging from 86,000 all the way up to 509,000. The models the state is using projected the greatest number of hospitalizations could come between April 10 and April 28.
The graph he used in his daily briefing showed the “projected best case scenario” with 86,000 cases of the coronavirus on April 19, and a “projected worst case scenario” with the peak on May 11 with 509,000 cases.
The graph also noted that if there were no lockdown with the stay-at-home order that also prevented gatherings, the case could have reached more than 3 million infections. Murphy used that to call for social distancing to continue.
As has been the trend, southern New Jersey is the area with the fewest amount of cases, but all counties now have reported at least one death. Across the U.S. there were about 340,000 cases and more than 10,300 deaths, accounting for a quarter of the cases around the world, but only about 14 percent of the deaths.
