Cape May County on Monday reported two more deaths and 10 new cases of coronavirus, but also announced that it now has antibody testing available.
The most recent deaths were a 70-year-old man from Middle Township and a 72-year-old man from Lower Township.
Altogether, 25 Cape May County residents have died of COVID-19 among a total of 371 cases, according to a county press release.
“It is with great sadness that we announce more lives lost to this pandemic,” Cape May County Freeholder Jeff Pierson said. “Our sympathies and thoughts go out to these families. The death of two of our community members is a reminder to us all to continue to heed the precautions associated with preventing the spread of this disease.”
Following is a breakdown of the number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths for each municipality in Cape May County:
| MUNICIPALITY | ACTIVE CASES | REPORTED TODAY | OFF QUARANTINE | DEATHS | LONG TERM CARE ACTIVE CASES | LONG TERM CARE CENTER DEATHS |
| AVALON | 1 | 6 | ||||
| CAPE MAY CITY | 0 | 3 | ||||
| CAPE MAY POINT | 0 | |||||
| DENNIS TOWNSHIP | 8 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 23 | 2 |
| LOWER TOWNSHIP | 16 | 1 | 46 | 3 | 26 | 15 |
| MIDDLE TOWNSHIP | 23 | 37 | 1 | 4 | ||
| NORTH WILDWOOD | 4 | 1 | 4 | |||
| OCEAN CITY | 12 | 1 | 13 | 1 | ||
| SEA ISLE CITY | 0 | 2 | ||||
| STONE HARBOR | 0 | |||||
| UPPER TOWNSHIP | 27 | 12 | 2 | |||
| WEST CAPE MAY | 1 | 1 | ||||
| WEST WILDWOOD | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||
| WILDWOOD | 17 | 12 | ||||
| WILDWOOD CREST | 1 | 8 | ||||
| WOODBINE | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 22 | |
| TOTAL ACTIVE | 116 | 76 | ||||
| TOTAL RECOVERED | 154 | |||||
| TOTAL DECEASED | 8 | 17 | ||||
| TOTAL CASES IN CAPE MAY COUNTY | 371 |
As testing starts to become more available in Cape May County, so does antibody testing. Antibody testing will give health officials a better understanding of the virus and help them in their response against COVID-19.
“Now that we have the antibody testing it is going to give us an even bigger picture on how many individuals were exposed to the disease. It is still has not been proven on how much protection the antibodies give an individual, so social distance is still the key in prevention,” Cape May County Health Officer Kevin Thomas said.
The Centers for Diseases Control and Protection states that the blood test checks for antibodies that show up if you had a previous infection with the Covid-19 virus. Depending on when someone was infected and the timing of the test, the test may not find antibodies in someone with a current COVID-19 infection, according to the press release.
Antibodies usually take up to three weeks or longer to show up on testing. Antibodies are proteins that help fight off infections, but it is still unknown if antibodies prevent people from spreading the virus or being reinfected by the virus.
Antibody tests should not be used as the only way to diagnose someone as being currently sick with COVID-19. If you have symptoms, such as fever, shortness of breath, loss of taste, and/or cough, call your healthcare provider to ask about testing.
To receive antibody testing or for additional information, call your healthcare provider.
Stay up to date on the current situation as it evolves. Some reliable sources are the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System hotline at 211 or 1-800-962-1253, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov, the World Health Organization at www.who.int and the New Jersey Department of Health at COVID19.nj.gov.
For additional information, visit the Cape May County Department of Health at www.cmchealth.net.
