COVID-19: Montclair reporting third-highest per-capita positive rate in Essex County – Montclair Local

By GWEN OREL
roll@montclairlocal.news

New Jersey announced 3,699 more residents had tested positive for COVID-19, and 167 new deaths that have resulted from the virus, on Sunday, April 12.

The total number of COVID-19 positives in New Jersey is now 61,850, resulting in 2,350 total deaths. The single-day increase in positive tests announced Sunday is larger than those announced on Saturday and Friday, but the reported number of deaths Sunday is the lowest single-day total since April 6.

Yesterday, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli reported that the state had been able to compile demographic data for 1,350 of the total deaths. Of that number, 704 or 52 percent were white; 298, or 22% were black or African American; 237, or 17% were Hispanic or Latino; 79, or 6% were Asian; and 38, or 3% identified as other.

Hudson County has surpassed Essex County as the second-highest county with positive Coronavirus cases, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard. The top five counties for COVID-19 cases are Bergen (9,784 positive tests), Hudson (7,469), Essex (7,410), Union (6,180) and Middlesex (5,693).

Montclair Township reported 236 positive cases among residents Sunday, an increase of eight from Saturday. Twenty-four residents have died to date, the same number reported on Saturday.

Essex County provided more detailed numbers Sunday breaking down the spread of the virus in the county, which has been hard-hit. The county is reporting 9.0 cases per 1,000 residents, a significant increase from the statewide rate of 6.5 cases per 1,000. A total of 428 Essex County residents have died from the virus, according to the county.

On a per-capita basis, Montclair was reporting the third-highest incidence of coronavirus in Essex County as of April 9, with 11.4 confirmed cases per thousand people. That trails Belleville (12.2 cases per 1,000) and Orange (12.0).

East Orange (11.2), Irvington (10.9) and Cedar Grove (10.2) were all reporting more than 10 positive tests per 1,000. Millburn has the lowest rate of positives as of now, reporting only 2.3 per thousand people.

Positive cases are split equally by gender, with men representing 49.6 percent of positives and women 49.2 percent.

Meanwhile, middle-aged people have been more likely to test positive in Essex County, the numbers show, with people aged 30 to 64 making up 65.9 percent of all cases.

The breakdown of positive tests by age is as follows:

• Age 0-4: 0.3 percent
• Age 5-17: 0.7 percent
• Age 18-29: 9.2 percent
• Age 30-49: 34.3 percent
• Age 50-64: 31.6 percent
• Age 65-79: 16.2 percent
• Age 80+: 7.6 percent

It should be noted that testing is currently only being done for people showing symptoms, and test results may take up to two weeks to be processed. The actual number of people infected with COVID-19 is likely much higher than numbers being reported, experts say, because many people who contract the virus are believed to be asymptomatic.

That fact is one of the reasons underlying Gov. Phil Murphy’s executive orders this week announcing that face-coverings are now mandatory for New Jersey residents picking up food from restaurants, riding public transportation, or shopping.

The mask order for retail stores went to effect on Friday, while the ones on restaurants and public transit go into effect on Monday. Transportation companies must provide masks and PPE to their staff. Grocery stories can only be filled to 50 percent capacity, while NJ Transit and other transit agencies can only have train cars and buses filled to 50 percent capacity.

Yesterday, Gov. Murphy urged people to stay the course. “I know we’re going through hell and back, but we will get through this, and we will get through this together,” he said.