More testing available; cases now top 550
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
ATLANTIC COUNTY – The Atlantic County Division of Public Health announced six more COVID-19 tests on Thursday, April 23, and that 551 residents have tested positive for the unique coronavirus.
The county also announced new drive-thru testing dates.
According to Linda Gilmore, the county’s public information officer, the six elderly individuals who died from COVID-19 had pre-existing health conditions that put them at a higher risk for complications.
Five of the patients were from Hammonton and included a 70-year-old man, two 79-year-old women, a 75-year-old woman, and a 98-year-old woman,” Gilmore reported. The sixth patient was a 79-year-old man from Galloway.
On Wednesday, April 22, the Division of Health said a 56-year-old Buena man with pre-existing health conditions has died as a result of COVID-19 complications.
To date, 29 Atlantic County residents have died and 108 of the 551 with COVID-19 have been cleared as recovered, Gilmore reported.
On Thursday, the 33 new positive cases involved 13 men from 26 to 90 years old and 20 women from 22 to 97.
The cases include five residents from Galloway and Northfield; four from Egg Harbor Township and Hammonton; three from Atlantic City; two from Linwood, Mullica Township, Somers Point and Ventnor; and one from Buena Vista Township, Folsom, Hamilton Township and Margate.
On Wednesday, the county reported 39 new positive cases among 19 men from 19 to 90 years old and 20 women from 24 to 98 years old.
Those cases include seven in Egg Harbor Township, six in Galloway, five in Pleasantville and four in Linwood. Absecon, Atlantic City and Hamilton Township each have three new cases and Egg Harbor City has two. Buena Borough, Estell Manor, Folsom, Hammonton, Margate and Northfield each have one new positive resident.
New testing dates
Atlantic County will provide two additional test dates next week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 28 and Thursday, April 30, by appointment only, for symptomatic county residents with a doctor’s prescription. The testing will be conducted behind the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing.
According to the county, residents may make an appointment online at www.aclink.org. In addition to the doctor’s prescription, residents must also provide proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or utility bill, as well as the appointment confirmation. They ask anyone unable to keep their appointments to cancel so that others will have an opportunity to be tested.
Atlantic County has previously provided testing for first responders and healthcare workers as well as four test dates for the general public. The county has obtained 800 test kits in total, Gilmore said.