Somerset County’s Cases In COVID 'Red Zone:' See Town Updates

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — The coronavirus continues to take a grim toll on Somerset County, impacting local businesses and schools in the region, according to updated state data.

The state Department of Health's most recent "COVID-19 Activity Level Report," which is issued weekly, says Somerset County is in the "red zone" for coronavirus cases.

Somerset County reported 10,411 cases on Friday, an increase of 1,274 over the previous week.

The "red zone" means the daily new COVID-19 virus case rate, per 100,000 people, rose to "very high" in all 21 counties. That means they exceed 25 cases per 1,000 people.

The latest reports say the overall coronavirus activity level also rose from "moderate," or "yellow," to "high," or "orange," in recent weeks in all 21 New Jersey counties.

With the rise to a "high" level, state officials said, school districts in those counties may have to take more serious steps — such as quarantining or even shutting down schools — if a child shows the symptoms of COVID-19.

"When it is high risk, there are some recommendations that we make together with local school boards," said Edward Lifshitz, medical director for the state Department of Health.

Indeed, a number of school districts have shifted to remote instruction as the numbers have risen.

The overall coronavirus risk rose to "high" in each of the counties because:

• The new daily case rate in each of the counties rose to 10 or more per 100,000 people.
• The percent of COVID-19-like illnesses rose above 5.52 in each of the counties.
• The percent of positive cases rose above 10.01.

Somerset County officials provided the following breakdown of cases by town. (Note that Somerset County reported totals may differ from the town's or the state's own numbers because of reporting times and other variations.):

• Bedminster Township: 144 cases (5 deaths)
• Bernards Township: 588 cases (42 deaths)
• Bernardsville Borough: 220 cases (4 deaths)
• Bound Brook Borough: 626 cases (17 deaths)
• Branchburg Township: 278 cases (6 deaths)
• Bridgewater Township: 1,102 cases (84 deaths)
• Far Hills Borough: 11 cases (0 deaths)
• Franklin Township: 2,616 cases (163 deaths)
• Green Brook Township: 239 cases (33 deaths)
• Hillsborough Township & Millstone: 985 cases (80 deaths)
• Manville Borough: 392 cases (9 deaths)
• Montgomery Township: 382 cases (6 deaths)
• North Plainfield Borough: 868 cases (40 deaths)
• Peapack-Gladstone Borough: 93 cases (1 death)
• Raritan Borough: 285 cases (17 deaths)
• Rocky Hills Borough: 12 cases (0 deaths)
• Somerville Borough: 391 cases (7 deaths)
• South Bound Brook Borough: 203 cases (3 deaths)
• Warren Township: 364 cases (15 deaths)
• Watchung Borough: 187 cases (14 deaths)

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