State Updates Coronavirus Stats For Gloucester Twp. Nursing Home

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — The spread of the coronavirus in Camden County’s 56 long-term care facilities has reduced drastically, Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

“Things started horribly in our long-term care facilities,” Cappelli said in an online news conference updating residents on the county’s response to the coronavirus. “A large portion of our cases still come out of there, but the spread has reduced drastically. We now have a 2 percent growth rate. It was a lot higher than that a month ago.”

As of Tuesday, 1,170 residents at the county's 56 long-term care facilities had been diagnosed with the coronavirus, as have 426 nursing home staff members. Three staff members and 244 residents have died as a result of the coronavirus.

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The state released updated nursing home numbers on Monday. Elmwood Hills Health Center is the only nursing home listed in Gloucester Township.

As of Monday, it had 100 cases among its residents, with six confirmed deaths. Thirty staff members had tested positive for the coronavirus, but there were no confirmed deaths. The breakdown for each nursing home in the state can be found here.

On Tuesday, officials announced that a Gloucester Township woman in her 80s had died after testing positive for the coronavirus. She was one of seven new coronavirus-related deaths in Camden County announced on Tuesday.

With seven new cases announced in Gloucester Township on Tuesday, there were 619 cases of the coronavirus identified, with 17 confirmed deaths, according to the county's numbers.

Countywide, the coronavirus growth rate is down to between 1 and 1.5 percent, Cappelli said on Tuesday. He also said that 97 percent of the Camden County residents who tested positive for the coronavirus have since recovered.

The county saw 52 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total to 6,853 cases and 339 total fatalities. Trace investigations are underway in all new cases. Cappelli said trace investigations have helped Camden County officials identify cases and stem the spread of the coronavirus. Many residents who have tested positive for the virus are essential employees.

“Our testing schedule and locations may change next week,” Cappelli said. “Tests are much more available now, and they are available through places other than through the government. … All things are pointing in the right direction.”

Testing is now available at certain Rite Aid and CVS locations. He encouraged residents to get tested often.

“A lot of people who are infected don’t have any symptoms,” Cappelli said. “I encourage you to get tested as often as possible.”

He also said anti-body testing is available to Camden County residents, but that form of testing is only about 50 percent accurate.

See related: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know