Cape May County Reports Two More Coronavirus Deaths

The Cape May County Department of Health reported Thursday that a 63-year-old woman from Woodbine and a 93-year-old Lower Township woman died from the coronavirus. Lori Mayer, a spokeswoman for Victoria Manor, a nursing home in Lower Township, confirmed that the 93-year-old woman was a resident at the facility, bringing the total number of coronavirus deaths there to nine. Mayer said in an email that the facility continues to follow proper procedures to quell the spread of COVID-19. “At Victoria Manor, we are adhering to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines and recommended protocols for COVID-19," she said. "We continue to follow to the letter the direction of the New Jersey Department of Health in an effort to contain and minimize the spread of the virus.” She said to date, the total number of positive cases of COVID-19 at Victoria Manor is 27 residents and 25 staff members. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these residents during this difficult time, especially the families of the nine residents who passed away,” Mayer said. Currently, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Cape May County has reached 190, including 12 deaths, according to a county press release. "Our hearts are heavy with the loss of two residents of Cape May County to COVID-19. The thoughts and prayers are with the families during this difficult time," Freeholder Jeff Pierson said of the latest deaths. "I continue to urge all residents to protect their health and the health of others, especially older individuals and those with chronic health conditions who are most at risk." Pierson added, "I’d like to thank the first responders, nurses and health care staff who are working very hard and long hours to combat the virus." Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton said, "One of the harsh realities of this pandemic is the daily report of lives lost to COVID-19. This report does not diminish our sympathy or our resolve to restore wellness to our community." He continued, “Taking steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 has asked everyone to do their part. The sacrifices made cannot be counted: some have lost loved ones, some have been ill, some have lost jobs, some have had to temporarily close businesses, some are guiding children through remote learning, and everyone has had to live our day-to-day life very differently than we are used to.” Thornton also thanked the public for staying home, practicing social distancing, wearing cloth face coverings, and self-isolating and self-quarantining when necessary. "Engaging in these practices is making a real difference," he noted. Following is a breakdown of the confirmed coronavirus cases for each municipality in Cape May County:

MUNICIPALITY	ACTIVE CASES	REPORTED TODAY	OFF QUARANTINE	DEATHS
AVALON	4		2
CAPE MAY CITY	1		2
CAPE MAY POINT	0
DENNIS TOWNSHIP	8			1
LOWER TOWNSHIP	57		4	9
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP	38	1	3
NORTH WILDWOOD	3		1
OCEAN CITY	12		2
SEA ISLE CITY	0		2
STONE HARBOR	0
UPPER TOWNSHIP	13	1	1	1
WEST CAPE MAY	1
WEST WILDWOOD	1
WILDWOOD	13	1	1
WILDWOOD CREST	8
WOODBINE	1			1
TOTAL ACTIVE	160
TOTAL RECOVERED			18
TOTAL DECEASED				12
TOTAL CASES IN CAPE MAY COUNTY	190

Health officials remind everyone that if you are ill, even with mild symptoms, please self- isolate at home for seven days and until you are fever and symptom free for 72 hours. If you have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is presumed to be infected, you must quarantine for 14 days from your last contact with that individual. People who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or are pregnant may be at higher risk of serious illness and should contact their doctor as soon as they are sick. 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 1-800-222-1222, 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 www.nj.gov/health. For additional information visit the Cape May County Government website www.capemaycountynj.gov and Cape May County Department of Health at www.cmchealth.net.