By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
Cape May and Atlantic are among the New Jersey counties with higher rates of COVID-19 cases doubling. Both counties reported more cases and fatalities over the past few days as Gov. Phil Murphy said he may announce “hard dates” for reopening the state’s economy later this week.
Across the state, most counties now have doubling rates of 30 days or more. They also have far more cases than in south Jersey. Cape May County now is at a 17-day doubling rate, Atlantic County is at 15 and Cumberland at 14.5. Salem is at 18.5 days and Camden at 26.
The state reports new cases are continuing their decline across the state, as are the number of ventilators in use and people in intensive care. On Monday, there were 26,397 positive tests in long-term care, but 4,890 deaths at those facilities. Statewide, there are more than 140,000 cases and more than 9,310 fatalities.
Hard hit are veterans retirement facilities where 362 of the 672 residents have tested positive and there have been 129 deaths, state officials said Monday.
“I hope to have news to report later this week,” Murphy said at his daily press conference Monday. He said that would include “hard dates” on reopening the economy, all while reinforcing his message that the economic health of the state would follow public health and improving metrics.
Atlantic County
In Atlantic County, nine residents died from COVID-19 between Saturday, May 9, and Monday, and there were nearly 100 new cases, bringing the total to 1,530 cases and 77 deaths since the pandemic began.
On Monday, the Atlantic County Division of Public Health reported three women who resided at long-term care facilities, all with pre-existing health conditions, had died. One was 97 years old, from Northfield, and the others, 91 and 93, were from Pleasantville. The county confirmed 15 more positives among six men, ages 44 to 65, and nine women, 30 to 86, eight of whom are from Atlantic City, three from Hammonton, two from Buena Vista Township and one each from Folsom and Northfield.
Of the 1,530 cases, 351 residents have been cleared as recovered.
On Sunday, the Division of Public Health reported an 89-year-old Egg Harbor Township man and 85-year-old Hamilton Township woman, both with pre-existing conditions, had died. There also were 20 new cases, 13 of them women from 20 to 27 years old and seven men from 26 to 63. The cases included four in Egg Harbor Township, three in Atlantic City and Galloway, two in Northfield and one each in Buena Borough, Egg Harbor City, Folsom, Hammonton, Margate, Mullica Township, Somers Point and Ventnor.
On Saturday, the Division of Public Health reported 62 new COVID-19 cases and the deaths of two Hammonton men ages 78 and 70, an 88-year-old Galloway man, and a 62-year-old Egg Harbor Township woman. All four had pre-existing health conditions and three resided at long-term care facilities.
The youngest case Saturday was a one-year-old and the oldest was 91.
Twelve are from Galloway, 10 are from Atlantic City, eight are residents of Hammonton and seven are from Egg Harbor Township. Five residents of Hamilton Township and four residents of Northfield and Pleasantville have been confirmed positive. Absecon and Linwood each have three more confirmed cases while Buena Vista Township and Mullica Township have two. One resident from Egg Harbor City and Port Republic have each tested positive.
Cape May County
The Cape May County Department of Health reported two more deaths on Monday, a 71-year-old woman from Lower Township and 55-year-old man from Woodbine. There have now been 34 deaths in the county since the pandemic began and a total of 470 cases.
On Monday, the department reported seven new cases of COVID-19 and on Sunday there were five new cases. On Saturday, there were 15 new cases.
The number of active cases within the communities stands at 102 in Cape May County, plus an additional 128 in long-term care facilities, including 68 in Lower Township, 29 in Woodbine, 26 in Dennis Township, four in Middle Township and one in Ocean City.
In the communities, there are 26 cases in Middle Township, 19 in Lower Township and 20 in Upper Township. Wildwood has 12 cases, Woodbine has eight, Ocean City has nine and Dennis Township has six. There are three in North Wildwood, two in West Wildwood and Wildwood Crest and one each in Avalon, Cape May and West Cape May. There are no active cases in Cape May Point, Sea Isle City and Stone Harbor.
Of the 470 cases, 198 are now off quarantine.
For additional information visit https://capemaycountynj.gov/ or Cape May County Department of Health at www.cmchealth.net.