COVID-19: new cases rise, but deaths are down – Montclair Local

By GWEN OREL
orel@montclairlocal.news

New Jersey reported 3,730 new positive cases of COVID-19 Sunday, with 75 new deaths as a result of the virus.

To date, 5,938 New Jersey residents have died from the coronavirus, and 109,038 residents have tested positive. According to Montclair Township’s website, 346 Montclairians have now tested positive, up from 338 on Saturday, and 39 have died.

Gov. Murphy did not hold a live briefing on Sunday, as he has not for several weeks, but numbers were posted on the state COVID-19 dashboard.  On Saturday, he said that hospitalizations had been on a gradual consecutive decrease since Thursday.

The number of patients hospitalized due to the virus dropped slightly this weekend, with 6,573 hospitalizations as of 6 p.m. Sunday, compared to 6,722 at 10 p.m. Friday. Just over 1,800 COVID-19 patients were in critical or intensive care as of Sunday night, but that number also represented a drop from Friday, when it stood at 1,933.

But despite that positive trend, Murphy also reminded residents not to lessen social distancing due to the tempting warmer weather. He said that the deaths due to COVID-19 now exceed the number of New Jersey residents who died in World War I, the Korean War and the Vietnam War combined.

Essex County remains the third-highest county for cases as of Sunday, with 12,863, following Hudson County (13,708) and Bergen County (14,965). Essex has seen the most deaths, with 1,023, ahead of Bergen (955) and Hudson (661).

The county ranks third in the state in terms of new cases, reporting 376 more cases Sunday. Middlesex (576) and Passaic (413) counties reported the biggest day-to-day increase on Sunday.

The state’s major testing labs have administered 200,756 COVID-19 tests, with 43.4 percent of tests coming back positive. Major labs account for 90 percent of all tests administered thus far, according to the state numbers. Only residents showing symptoms of the virus have been permitted to be tested.

The Township of Montclair reminds residents to wear face coverings in public settings to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Center for Disease Control is advising people to use simple cloth coverings, which will help prevent people who may have the virus and do not know it from spreading it to others. In New Jersey, face coverings are required by customers and workers in essential retail businesses, warehouses, NJ Transit, and private transportation carriers. and construction sites. Customers must wear face coverings when picking up take-out orders. Face masks should not be used on children under 2, those with trouble breathing or who are incapacitated.

For instructions on making face coverings, see the instructions provided by the CDC.

Three additional dates for screenings in Essex County Weequahic Park have been scheduled: Monday, April 27, Wednesday, April 29, and Friday, May 1 from 9 a.m. to noon. These screenings are for Essex County residents who are symptomatic of COVID-19 and are by appointment only. Residents must arrive by car; 600 tests will be available each day.

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo stated that people who submitted a registration for an earlier date have been placed on a waiting list, and will be given an appointment, and a confirmation number that they must bring with them to their appointment.

The tests are free of charge to Essex County residents; health insurance is not a requirement. Follow-up contacts will be made to assess the continuing health of the person who completed the screening.

Medical personnel from RWJBarnabas Health System, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, University Hospital, Hackensack Hospital, Essex County Hospital and nurses from public schools in Essex County are staffing the testing sites and call-in center. NJIT has provided personal protective equipment (face shields). Security at the site is being provided by the Essex County Sheriff’s Office and Newark Police Department.

Essex County will continue to administer the virus screening as long as supplies of test kits, gowns, facial masks and gloves last.

The state now has over 80 testing sites. Essex County residents can seek testing at the following sites:

Bergen Community College
400 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ 07652
No appointment, drive in only

PNC Bank Arts Center
Garden State Parkway, Exit 116, Holmdel, NJ 07733
No appointment, drive in only

Cedar Grove
American Family Care Urgent Care
480 Pompton Ave., Suite 6, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
973-239-2300
Must be symptomatic. Call ahead to make sure test kits are available.

East Orange
Metropolitan Medical, a division of Salerno Medical
570 Park Ave., East Orange
862-766-6608
Testing available for first responders in Essex County. Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Livingston
Summit Medical Group Urgent Care
75 East Northfield Ave., Livingston
973-436-1500
Must be a patient of Summit Medical Group and have symptoms that worsen (fever for more than 3 days, difficulty breathing, body aches). Must have an appointment made for them by an Atlantic Medical Group doctor.

Newark
CityMD Newark Urgent Care
617 Broad St., Newark, NJ 07102
862-246-7940
Not testing to rule out COVID-19 for respiratory symptoms. Are testing if strict clinical criteria is met. Must be sick with symptoms.

Mary Eliza Mahoney Health Center (FQHC)
110 William St., Newark
800-734-7083
Must get a doctor’s evaluation. Those without insurance should call to be evaluated. Must make an appointment.

West Caldwell
The Doctors’ Office Urgent Care of West Caldwell
556 Passaic Ave., West Caldwell
973-808-2273
Must be sick with symptoms. Walk in, no appointment.

West Orange
American Family Care Urgent Care
464 Eagle Rock Ave., Suite C, West Orange
973.669.5900
Must be symptomatic. Call ahead to make sure test kits are available.

COVID-19 RESOURCES

• Visit the New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub covid19.nj.gov
• Call (General COVID-19 Questions): 2-1-1 (24/7)
• Call (Medical COVID-19 Questions): 1-800-962-1253 (24/7)
• Text NJCOVID to 898-211 to receive alerts

Those who have lost their job or had hours reduced as a result of COVID-19 can learn more about who is hiring in the State of New Jersey COVID-19 Jobs here: jobs.covid19.nj.gov There are currently 56,902 jobs posted with 806 companies.

Updates on township operations during the COVID-19 pandemic are at

www.montclairnjusa.org/corona_virus_COVID-19_information

ESSEX COUNTY COVID-19 CASES

Updated: Sunday, April 26, 2020

• Social distancing, hand hygiene, and other steps to prevent infection must be followed at all times in all municipalities regardless of the number of cases.
• The number of infected individuals in any municipality is likely to be much greater than indicated as this data ONLY includes persons who have been tested and whose lab results have been reported in the State’s data system.

• This data will not match any other report since cases are continually entering the system and local health departments may reassign place of residence as appropriate during their investigations.