County Freeholder Director Blasts Lack Of Coronavirus Test Kits

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — There are more cases of new coronavirus in South Jersey than have been reported, and the lack of ability to test for the virus is creating a dangerous situation, Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said Tuesday morning.

“For the past few weeks, the President of the United States has been promising enough kits would be available, but this administration has failed miserably to obtain those test kits,” Cappelli said.

With the addition of 89 positive coronavirus cases on Monday, the number of total cases throughout New Jersey rose to 267. Yet, only three of those cases have been reported in Camden County.

With five more in Burlington County and two in Gloucester County, but none in Salem, Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties, there are only 12 documented cases reported for a sizable part of the southern portion of the state, according to the coronavirus dashboard on the state’s website.

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“The front line of defense is test kits,” Cappelli said. “We don’t know how many people are sick in the county. Many people just can’t get test kits because they’re not available.”

The county has a limited number of test kits, but most of the testing has been done through the hospital. He said the county has been in touch with a potential supplier, and they may have new kits by the end of the week, but that’s no guarantee.

“My brother-in-law is a physician, and he’s lost count of how many people call him with symptoms,” Cappelli said. “He tells them to self-quarantine and gives them medical advice, but he can’t test them.”

While some states have seen increases in an ability to test for the virus, the United States as a whole still lags behind other countries, according to a recent NBC report. In South Korea, about 15,000 people are tested a day, while 33,000 total people have been tested in America, according to the report. In response, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci has said the system is not geared to what is needed right now.

Rep. Donald Norcross, who represents most of Camden County, recently voted to pass a bill that strengthens the federal government’s ability to respond to the outbreak, which includes free testing for anyone who shows symptoms. He has been working with the county to get more tests.

“Any kit that is CDC approved, we will purchase,” said Cappelli, who added the county would love to be able to get at least 3,000 test kits.

Some states have begun setting up drive-through testing sites, which is something Cappelli would like to see Camden County set up, alongside Virtua, Cooper and Jefferson health systems.

“We’re ready to go, but there’s a limited number of tests available,” Cappelli said.

Camden County was placed under a State of Emergency on Monday, the same day Gov. Phil Murphy announced that restaurants, bars, casinos and gyms will shut down. Read more: NJ Coronavirus: Bars, Restaurants, Theaters To Shut

“I feel horrible for small businesses that will suffer financially,” Cappelli said. “I hope the federal government comes through with relief quickly.”

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