In Camden County, 6,375 residents now have been infected by the virus, and 304 have died from related complications. One-third of those infected are frontline employees and long-term care residents.
By Matt Skoufalos | May 26, 2020
NJDOH COVID-19 Dashboard – 5-26-20. Credit: NJDOH.
Another 322 Camden County residents tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) over Memorial Day weekend and 10 others died of related complications, the Camden County government reported Tuesday.
The weekend figures bring the total local caseload to 6,375 patients and 304 deaths.
Fully a third of those locals infected are healthcare workers, frontline employees, and residents of long-term care (LTC) facilities, county officials said in a briefing Tuesday.
Community spread of the virus has contributed to a 1.5-percent average daily growth rate in new cases since early May, said Caryelle Lasher, Communicable Disease Supervisor at the Camden County Department of Health.
COVID-19 has affected disproportionately “a lot of our frontline workers, essential staff, and their families,” Lasher said. Throughout the county, 150 addresses have returned multiple cases in which the families of those employed in essential jobs have been infected, she said.
“We need to focus on how we’re isolating at home,” Lasher said, encouraging families battling COVID-19 infections to sanitize restrooms after use and to use caution when gathering.
Thirty-five percent of those infected with COVID-19 didn’t know they had the virus, said Camden County Freeholder-Director Lou Cappelli, who urged “all members of the public to be tested.”
Asymptomatic people may be tested for free at participating Rite Aid pharmacies and at CAMCare locations; the Camden County testing sites in Camden City and Blackwood are only open to symptomatic residents with a doctor’s note.
“If we were prepared for testing when this virus first struck in New Jersey, we’d be in much better shape today,” Cappelli said.
Throughout New Jersey, 155,764 people have been sickened by COVID-19 and 11,191 have perished from related causes. COVID-19 cases are doubling at least every 30 days throughout all of New Jersey, save Salem County, which stands at a 23-day doubling rate.
The statewide average of COVID-19 spot positivity testing stood at 5 percent May 21. Spot positivity is a snapshot statistic, and the state’s report excludes serology tests, which can confirm the presence of COVID-19 antibodies but not whether the patient actively has the virus.
NJDOH COVID-19 Cases by County – 5-26-20. Credit: NJ DOH.
According to the state health dashboard, Camden County led all New Jersey counties in new cases of COVID-19 in its May 26 report, with 67 new cases.
Of 6,375 reported local COVID-19 cases, 1,432 (22 percent) have originated in a Camden County LTC facility: 1,088 are residents and 344 are staff.
LTCs are believed to be associated with 75 percent, or 229 of the 304 total deaths in Camden County; 227 were residents and two were staff.
About half the 56 LTCs in Camden County (27) have experienced at least one case of COVID-19.
Health officials urged residents to continue social distancing, wearing face coverings, and washing their hands frequently to further drive down new cases of the virus.
“We’re going to see the impacts of our actions, five, 10, two weeks later,” Lasher said.
“Right now, we’re still enjoying all of the good work that we’ve done here in Camden County, social distancing and being safe; going forward, we’re looking to see that continue,” she said.
The latest local residents to die from COVID-19-related complications are:
- a Camden City man in his 60s
- three Cherry Hill Township women, two in their 90s and one in her 70s; and a man in his 60s
- a Gloucester Township man in his 80s, and woman in her 90s
- a Haddon Heights man in his 80s
- two Voorhees women, one each in her 70s and 80s
The newest local cases are:
- an Audubon woman in her 20s
- two Barrington women, one each in her 40s and 60s; and a man in his 50s
- three Bellmawr women, one each in her 40s and 70s and a teenaged girl
- a Berlin man in his 50s
- four Berlin Township men, two in their 40s and one each in his 50s and 60s; and a woman in her 20s
- two Brooklawn men, one each in his 40s and 50s
- 53 Camden City women, 18 in their 20s, eight in their 30s, seven in their 50s, six in their 60s, five in their 80s, four in their 40s, two in their 90s, two teenage girls and a girl under 10; and 40 men, ten each in their 20s and 50s, nine in their 40s, four each in their 30s and 60s, one each in his 70s and 90s, and a young boy; and a person of unknown gender in their 50s
- 24 Cherry Hill women, 11 in their 80s, four in their 70s, three in their 50s, two each in their 40s and 60s, one in her 20s and a young girl; and 17 men, four in their 40s, three each in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, and one in his 20s
- a Clementon man in his 50s
- three Collingswood women, two in their 80s and one in her 30s; and a man in his 30s
- a Gloucester City man in his 40s and woman in her 60s
- 25 Gloucester Township women, seven in their 80s, five in their 70s, four in their 60s, three in their 40s, two each in their 30s and 50s, and one each in her 20s and 90s; and 16 men, six in their 70s, three in their 60s, two each in their 20s and 80s, one each in his 30s and 40s, and a young boy
- a Haddon Heights woman in her 20s
- a Haddon Township woman in her 70s
- three Lawnside women, two in their 70s and one in her 30s; and a man in his 30s
- 12 Lindenwold women, four in their 50s, one each in her 20s, 30s, 40s, and 60s, three teenage girls and a girl under 10; and 11 men, three in their 50s, two each in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, and two teenage boys
- a Magnolia woman in her 30s and man in his 70s
- two Merchantville men, one each in his 30s and 50s
- a Mount Ephraim man in his 20s and woman in her 60s
- 14 Pennsauken men, five in their 40s, four in their 20s, two in their 60s, one each in his 30s and 70s, and a young boy; and 10 women, three each in their 20s and 30s, two in their 60s, and one each in her 40s and 50s; and a person of unknown gender in their 30s
- three Pine Hill men, one each in his 30s and 60s and a young boy; and a woman in her 20s
- two Runnemede men, one each in his 30s and 50s; and a woman in her 70s
- two Somerdale women, one each in her 30s and 40s; and a man in his 40s
- two Stratford men, one each in his 20s and 70s; and a woman in her 30s
- 21 Voorhees women, 11 in their 80s, three each in their 60s and 70s, two in their 20s, and one each in her 50s and 90s; and nine men, four in their 80s, three in their 60s, and one each in his 50s and 70s; and a person of unknown gender in their 80s
- five Waterford men, three in their 50s, one in his 20s and a teenage boy; and two women, one each in her 40s and 50s
- seven Winslow men, two in their 70s, one each in his 20s, 50s, and 80s, and two teenage boys; and three women, one each in her 20s and 80s and a teenage girl
- two Woodlynne men, one each in his 20s and 40s; and a woman in her 30s
The Camden County and New Jersey Health Departments are working to facilitate trace investigations into all cases.
Read our ongoing round-up of COVID-19 coverage here.
Please support NJ Pen with a subscription. Get e-mails, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or try our Direct Dispatch text alerts.
