Latest Barnegat-Manahawkin Coronavirus Updates

BARNEGAT, NJ — There's a lot of news to keep up with right now — locally, nationally and worldwide. Here's a recap of coronavirus updates in Barnegat and Manahawkin.

Cases

The Ocean County Health Department has reported 69 positive cases in Barnegat and 67 in Stafford as of Wednesday morning. The OCHD will provide daily updates here.

The OCHD has reported 2,624 cases in Ocean County. Eighty-five people in Ocean County have died from the virus as of Wednesday morning, according to state officials.

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Testing

Drive-thru testing appointment slots are available through Friday at Ocean County College. Click here to book.

Residents must schedule appointments in advance and meet the following requirements:

• You must be an Ocean County resident and have identification.
• You must have a physician's prescription
• You must make an online appointment at www.ochd.org.
• You must be symptomatic.
• You should enter the Ocean County College campus from the Hooper Avenue entrance.

The site allows for 216 daily appointments.

Restrictions and Updates

• Governor Phil Murphy announced Tuesday the closure of all state and county parks. Ocean County closed all county parks March 31. Many state parks previously allowed passive recreation such as walking during the pandemic.
• Barnegat and Stafford officials asked all local businesses to require customers to wear cloth masks. MORE.
• A new volunteer service in Ocean County is helping people in need shop for groceries. Customers can either prepay for an order or provide a shopping list and reimbursement. Check out GoGetters of New Jersey.
• Long Beach Township closed its beaches to everyone except residents and property owners with disaster-reentry passes. MORE.
• Open or closed? Patch created a simple directory for local businesses. Here's how to get listed.
• Expect the June 2 primary election to be delayed as New Jersey continues to deal with the effects of the coronavirus crisis, and lawmakers have a new date in mind. Sources told Patch that New Jersey will likely postpone its June 2 primary election to July 7, expecting that the coronavirus outbreak will continue to have an impact into the summer. MORE.

Here's what else you should know:

• State health officials said the virus is "community-spread" in New Jersey. "Community-spread indicates that the coronavirus is amongst us," Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli announced. Read more: Coronavirus May Be 'Community-Spread' In NJ
• Murphy issued a stay-at-home order, closing all non-essential business at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 21. Read more: Gov. Murphy Announces NJ 'Stay-At-Home' Order Due To Coronavirus
• On Monday, March 16, Murphy announced that all schools would close on Tuesday, March 17. Read more: NJ Schools Will Close Due To Coronavirus Outbreak: Gov. Murphy
• Here are 10 resources for you and your family to utilize as you navigate through the outbreak: Unemployment, Tests, Food: 10 NJ Resources In Coronavirus Crisis
• New Jersey's courts suspended all new jury trials until further notice, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said on Thursday, March 12. Read more: Coronavirus Throws Monkey Wrench Into New Jersey Court System
• Murphy said during a live press conference on Wednesday, March 25 that he's ordering many day care centers to shut amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Gov. Murphy To Shut Many Day Care Centers Amid Coronavirus Crisis
• Murphy also has announced the launch of a new online portal to connect New Jersey residents with jobs in critical industries responding to COVID-19. Read more: Companies ARE Hiring: NJ Launches Online Job Portal
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory for New Jersey. Read more: CDC Travel Advisory For NJ: No Coronavirus Travel Ban From Trump
• Murphy has emphasized the need to wear a mask or face covering when going out in public. Read more: Wear A Mask! 4 Things NJ Wants You To Do In Coronavirus Outbreak
• Local police also have been cracking down on gatherings of people in certain towns. Read more: Police Identify Rumson Man Who They Say Hosted Pink Floyd Party
• New Jersey residents are expected to start receiving stimulus payments soon. Here's what you need to do beforehand. Read more: Coronavirus Economic Stimulus Payments: What You Need To Do In NJ
• On Monday, April 8, Murphy offered some insight into how long the coronavirus crisis may last in New Jersey. Read more: Gov. Murphy: Coronavirus May 'Spill Meaningfully Into The Summer'
• On Friday, March 27, Murphy allowed more types of NJ businesses – including gun sellers – to operate in the coronavirus outbreak. What's open and closed now? Read more: What's Open, Closed? More NJ Business To Operate Amid Coronavirus

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