N.J’s in-school COVID outbreaks increase to 96 with 521 cases among students, staff – NJ.com
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The number of in-school COVID-19 outbreaks across New Jersey climbed to 96 on Wednesday, while the total number of cases among students, teachers and staff increased to 521, according to updated numbers from the state.
The outbreaks increased by 27 over the last week and the cumulative cases increased by 63%. The new cases include 17 staff and 125 students.
A total of 62 districts have reported outbreaks. Only two counties — Burlington and Warren — have not reported a school with an outbreak. Middlesex County reported its first outbreak. Cape May, Mercer, Passaic and Salem had no new outbreaks in the past week.
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The in-school outbreaks and cases as of Wednesday include:
- Atlantic County: 12 outbreaks involving a total of 43 cases
- Bergen County: 7 outbreaks involving 36 cases
- Camden County: 11 outbreaks involving 42 cases
- Cumberland County: 3 outbreaks involving 17 cases
- Cape May County: 4 outbreaks involving 15 cases (no new outbreaks)
- Essex County: 5 outbreaks involving 20 cases
- Gloucester County: 4 outbreaks involving 25 cases
- Hudson County: 3 outbreaks involving 12 cases
- Hunterdon County: 3 outbreak involving 33 cases
- Mercer County: 9 outbreaks involving a total of 39 cases (no new outbreaks)
- Middlesex County: 1 outbreak involving 6 cases
- Monmouth County: 10 outbreaks involving a total of 47 cases
- Morris County: 5 outbreaks involving 25 cases
- Ocean County: 4 outbreaks involving 17 cases
- Passaic County: 2 outbreaks involving 62 cases ( no new outbreaks)
- Salem County: 1 outbreak involving 3 cases (no new outbreaks)
- Somerset County: 3 outbreaks involving 26 cases
- Sussex County: 6 outbreaks involving a total of 24 cases
- Union County: 3 outbreak involving 29 cases
The figures are cumulative totals since the start of the school year with most of the cases having already been resolved.
Last week, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday the state will require all schools in the state to report all COVID-19 testing and vaccination data among students and staff members to the state health department on a weekly basis regardless of where infections occurred.
On Monday, anyone who works at any school — public or private — in the state will be required to be vaccinated or be tested for the coronavirus at least once a week.
In the 2020-21 school year, New Jersey had 281 school outbreaks involving 1,263 positive tests among students, teachers and school staff. Many districts spent a large part of the year either fully remote or in a hybrid setting.
The definition of a “school outbreak” has changed this year. The state previously defined a school outbreak as cases where two or more students, teachers or school staff caught the virus at school. This year, the definition was changed to three or more students to align with how the federal Centers for Disease Control counts school outbreaks, state officials said.
The outbreak numbers include only cases where contact tracers believe people caught the virus at school. They do not include students, teachers and school staff who tested positive, but are believed to have contracted the virus at home or during other activities outside school.
Everyone 12 and older is eligible for a free vaccine. Health experts have repeatedly said the vaccines are safe and effective at significantly reducing the chance of hospitalization and death. Children from ages 5 to 11 are expected to be eligible later this year.
NJ Advance Media staff writer Matt Arco contributed to this report.
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.