By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
The number of active COVID-19 cases in Atlantic County and Cape May County has continued to climb.
On Wednesday, April 1, the Cape May County Department of Health announced there are now 22 active coronavirus cases in the county and an additional 11 individuals who have recovered.
In Atlantic County, the COVID-19 cases increased to 41, including three women, ages 88, 59 and 47; and seven men, ages 34, 79, 60, 50, 38, 69 and 63, according to Atlantic County Public Information Officer Linda Gilmore. At least one of those new cases has been hospitalized, she said, but could not offer additional details. Earlier in the week Gilmore reported that five COVID-19 patients had recovered.
The Cape May County Department of Health reported there are now seven active cases in Lower Township and five in Avalon. One person in each community has recovered.
Dennis Township now has three active cases and Wildwood has two.
The City of Cape May has one active case and two individuals who have recovered. All three reported COVID-19 cases in Middle Township have recovered, leaving no active cases.
Ocean City, North Wildwood and Upper Township each have one active case and one individual who recovered.
Wildwood Crest has one active COVID-19 case. Sea Isle City has no active cases, but one individual who recovered.
The new cases in Cape May County include a 19-year-old female, 72-year-old female, 58-year-old male, 64-year-old female, 51-year-old male, 49-year-old female, and a 22-year-old female. Overall, there are 33 cases, including the 11 who recovered, according to the Department of Health.
“In order to take care of others, you have to take care of yourself. This is a stressful time for our community. It is more important than ever to take care of not just your physical health, but your mental health as well,” said county Health Officer Kevin Thomas.
“Fear and anxiety of a disease can be overwhelming and make an individual feel like they have no control. If an individual has a pre-existing mental condition it is important to continue treatment and contact your healthcare provider if symptoms become worse,” the department reported.
“As the number of cases increase so does stress and anxiety,” the department said. “Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with stress. Helping others cope with their stress can also make your community stronger. If you need help or know someone who needs help contact the Disaster Distress Helpline at (1-800) 985-5990, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (1-800) 799-7233 and TTY (1-800) 787-3224. For any medical questions please call your healthcare provider or call 211 for any general COVID-19 questions.
The Department of Health provided the following guidelines:
Centers for Disease Control Suggest the Following Actions to Support Yourself:
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
- Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.
- Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
- Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
Sharing and discussing accurate facts about COVID-19, such as one’s actual risk, with people you care about can help make an outbreak less stressful.
Stay up to date on the current situation as it evolves. 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.