Monmouth County Is in 'High' Transmission Zone for Mask Wearing

MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ — On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued groundbreaking revised guidance that now even vaccinated Americans should return to wearing a mask in indoor, public places, particularly in areas with “substantial and high transmission” of coronavirus.

And Monmouth County is one of those areas.

According to this interactive map of New Jersey from the CDC, Monmouth County counts as having "high" transmission of the virus.

In fact, Monmouth County was actually showing the highest transmission rates in the state of New Jersey, as per July 25, the last time the CDC updated the map.

Bergen, Essex, Union, Middlesex, Ocean, Burlington and Atlantic counties all showed "substantial" transmission rates while all of New Jersey's remaining counties show low transmission rates.

Gov. Murphy has not yet issued a return of the statewide mask mandate, saying any mask mandate or guidance should reflect "local realities." But that may change depending on the CDC's change in guidance Tuesday.

According to the CDC, in the past week ending July 25, Monmouth County has had 693 new cases, an 111.28 percent increase over the week before.

The CDC recommends the vaccinated now resume wearing masks while at work, in the office, grocery shopping, in the gym and in all K-12 schools.

Between Thursday, July 22 and Monday, July 26, there were 404 new positive cases of COVID-19 in Monmouth County, and no new deaths.

The breakdown of new positive COVID cases in Monmouth County towns as of Monday:

• Aberdeen: 1,936 total cases as of July 22, 1,945 cases by July 26
• Allenhurst: 71 total cases, no increase in cases
• Allentown: 134 cases as of July 22, 136 by July 26
• Asbury Park: 1,744 total cases, no increase in cases
• Atlantic Highlands: 362 cases as of July 22, 364 by July 26
• Avon-by-the-Sea: 197, 198
• Belmar: 569, 575
• Bradley Beach: 374, 379
• Brielle: 581, 583
• Colts Neck: 1032, 1041
• Deal: 275, 277
• Eatontown: 1695, 1701
• Englishtown: 247, 252
• Fair Haven: 512, 514
• Farmingdale: 166, 169
• Freehold Borough: 1649, 1654
• Freehold Township: 3788, 3822
• Hazlet: 2142, 2151
• Highlands: 374 total cases so far, no increase
• Holmdel: 1646, 1652
• Howell: 5709, 5760
• Interlaken: 88 total cases
• Keansburg: 1228, 1237
• Keyport: 708, 710
• Lake Como: 178, 182
• Little Silver: 619, 623
• Loch Arbour: 24 total cases, no change
• Long Branch: 4355, 4371
• Manalapan: 4225, 4271
• Manasquan: 590, 596
• Marlboro: 3633, 3653
• Matawan: 1130, 1134
• Middletown: 6556, 6607
• Millstone Township: 967, 972
• Monmouth Beach: 341, 347
• Neptune City: 529 total cases
• Neptune Township: 3509, 3546
• Ocean: 3248, 3271
• Oceanport: 662, 665
• Red Bank: 1749, 1754
• Roosevelt: 55 total cases, no increase
• Rumson: 702, 703
• Sea Bright: 144, 145
• Sea Girt: 168 total cases
• Shrewsbury Borough: 530, 531
• Shrewsbury Township: 117 total cases, no increase
• Spring Lake: 248 total cases, no increase
• Spring Lake Heights: 393, 396
• Tinton Falls: 1835, 1845
• Union Beach: 621, 624
• Upper Freehold: 562, 568
• Wall: 2697, 2709
• West Long Branch: 1159, 1164

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