Camden County Cancels Events Amid Coronavirus Scare

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Following Gov. Phil Murphy’s recommendation that gatherings of more than 250 people should be canceled in New Jersey because of the coronavirus scare, Camden County announced a series of cancellations Thursday afternoon.

All remaining spring concerts at the Scottish Rite until the fall, county officials announced. A full list of the season’s concerts as originally scheduled is available by visiting here. This page will be updated as soon as rescheduled dates have been determined.

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“Until this changes it bears repeating as many times as possible, the risk assessment for the general public of contracting or spreading coronavirus in our community is still considered low,” Camden County Freeholder Louis Cappelli, Jr. said. “However, we are advocating that the public take this threat seriously and exercise social distancing while avoiding nonessential mass gatherings to further reduce the likelihood that this virus spreads in Camden County. At this time, we find it is in the best interest of our concert-goers, musical acts, and venue personnel to postpone these events until the fall season begins.”

The following regattas and rowing events have also been cancelled at this time:

• Knecht Cup: April 10-11
• Ivy League: May 17
• Patriot League: May 15-17

On Thursday night, officials announced that all remaining Will Clinics at the Camden County Store in Voorhees through the month of March have been cancelled. The clinics provide consultation to residents who have not yet prepared their last will and testament.

“The Freeholder Board is considering county-sponsored events on a one-by-one basis in response to the spread of coronavirus throughout the United States,” Camden County Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services, said. “While we understand the critical importance of this event and the service it provides, we have determined that cancelling the events is the best course of action in the interest of public health at this time.”

Residents who already registered for the upcoming clinics will receive the highest priority when registering for future clinics. Residents who have already completed the clinic but must still return to the store to receive their documents will be able to do so as scheduled.

The county announced the first round of cancellations, mostly for events for seniors, Monday night. An up-to-date list of all cancelled events can be found by visiting the COVID-19 Updates page on camdencounty.com.

“Our first priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our residents,” Cappelli said. “While we are disappointed to cancel some of the wonderful events that we had planned in the coming weeks, we will always take whatever steps we believe necessary to keep Camden County safe. Please check camdencounty.com frequently and follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on any future cancellations, rescheduling, or postponements, as well as additional information about what the County is doing to combat the coronavirus.”

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization officially declared coronavirus a global pandemic. With this declaration underscoring the need to treat the coronavirus as seriously as any public health crisis, county officials said they are actively considering all preventative measures which will reduce the risk of coronavirus contraction by Camden County residents.

Also on Thursday, county officials announced that the Cherry Hill man in his 60s who was the first presumptive positive case of coronavirus in South Jersey continues to get better. The Camden County Department of Health is maintaining constant contact with its partners at the state, local, and federal levels to ensure that any possible infections or exposures are identified quickly, and that the risk to the general public is minimized, officials said.

The New Jersey Department of Health has partnered with the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System to open and operate a call center (1-800-222-1222) for public use regarding questions, concerns, and other information related to coronavirus spread in New Jersey. More information is also available on the state's coronavirus webpage.
See related: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know