On April 8th, New Jersey officials announced 3,088 new positive tests, for a total of 47,437. Additionally, 231 out of 375  long-term care facilities have now reported at least one COVID-19 case. Based on information from seven labs sending the state testing data, 94,525 tests have been performed and 41,550 (44%) have come back positive. According to hospital data, there are 7,026 hospital patients that are COVID-positive or under investigation. 1,617 patients are in critical care and 1,576 (97%) of those in critical care are on ventilators. Another 275 deaths brings the statewide total to 1,504 and 48 of these new deaths are associated with long-term care facilities. NJ's hospitals had a pre-mitigation capacity of 18,000 medical/surgical beds and about 2,000 critical care beds.

As you may know, the CDC and federal guidelines may begin to require us to wear face masks anytime we go outside. Check out this quick video update from Dr. Gary Sapienza, from Leading Smiles in Merchantville, as he reviews ways to control the spread of Covid-19 infections, protection in the absence of testing and some of the common face mask options and alternatives that are available to you. He urges all of us to wear a mask to protect your neighbors first and yourself second. Stay healthy!

As of today, Camden County will have delivered more than 25,000 meals to seniors in need during the Covid-19 pandemic. Freeholder Jonathan Young thanked the dedicated public servants at the Division of Senior Services, Public Works, Parks, Building and Ops, and other county employees who are making these deliveries and coordinating the logistics of such a herculean effort." He continued, “Like critical workers across the county, many of these men and women continue to leave their home each day in the service of others. It is thanks to them and their efforts that the people of Camden County have a safety net they can rely on, and we are incredibly thankful for their hard work and commitment to service." If you or a senior you know needs meal assistance, please call (856) 374-MEAL or (856) 858-3220 to make arrangements.

Governor Murphy signed new Executive Orders to further NJ's aggressive efforts to enforce social distancing. All non-essential construction across New Jersey will CEASE, indefinitely, effective 8:00 p.m. Friday. Exceptions include projects at our hospitals and schools, in our transportation and public utility sector, the building of affordable housing, other individual housing sites that can adhere to strict limits on the number of workers on-site, and other limited instances.

We’re also aiming to mitigate overcrowding at essential retail stores – particularly in our grocery stores. Under this Executive Order, all essential retail must indefinitely limit the number of customers allowed in their stores to NO MORE than 50% of their approved capacity. Additionally, customers & employees must wear face coverings. Stores must also provide special shopping hours for high-risk individuals, erect physical barriers between customers and cashiers and baggers where practicable, regularly sanitize areas used by their employees, & more. And, moving the date of our primary elections from Tuesday, June 2nd to Tuesday, July 7th.

Effective 8:00 p.m. this evening Mayor Brennan closed Merchantville's public parks and spaces consistent with Governor Murphy's Executive Order 118, which was issued today and is part of the continuing effort of the Borough to help flatten the curve and took additional Covid-19 actions. The mayor recognizes that the closure of all parks, particularly the multi-use path will upset many, but we stand united with the State and Camden County in trying to do everything we can to get through this difficult time, encourage appropriate social distancing and urge residents to stay home. The next few weeks will be difficult and we are seeing a significant increase in cases and deaths in the County in the last few days. We must remain vigilant.

Two new technologies being deployed in New Jersey as part of the fight against the coronavirus could boost those testing numbers enormously if they can perform. One comes out of a Rutgers University research center that uses a laboratory technique to make millions of copies of the COVID-19 nucleic acid. It can perform 10,000 tests a day using high-throughput, automated equipment. But instead of using nasal and throat swabs to obtain viral material, the analysis can be performed on saliva samples obtained by spitting into a tube — a far easier way to collect samples without relying on health care workers. Saliva testing would be a new development and would allow testing without the need of a medical provider to take the sample. RUCDR has also submitted an emergency use authorization request for a saliva collection method that will allow for broader population screening. Another is a test developed by Abbott Laboratories that its makers say can detect the COVID-19 virus in as little as five minutes.