COVID Spread Reduces In Greater Morristown, But By How Much?

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Since the peak of the omicron surge, the spread of the coronavirus has reduced in the Morristown area. The New Jersey Department of Health downgraded Morris County's COVID-19 activity level from "high" to "moderate" in its most recent weekly activity report.

Here's what's happening around Greater Morristown.

Cases

Morris County averaged 96.3 infections per day this past week, according to the state health department. That's a reduction over the prior week, when the area averaged 157 new cases per day.

Morris County hit a record daily case total Jan. 7 with 1,775 reported infections, but the area's average case totals have gradually declined since.

Here are the local case numbers:

• Morristown saw 28 new cases from Feb. 2 to Thursday, bringing the town to 4,313 cases since the pandemic began, according to Morris County data. That's a 0.7 percent increase to Morristown's infection total in eight days.
• Officials reported 50 Morris Township infections in that span, putting the township at 3,721 cases since the onset of the pandemic. The case total increased 1.4 percent from Feb. 2 to Thursday.
• Morris Plains's case total grew from 1,216 to 1,227 for a 0.9 percent increase in eight days.

Hospital Data

The number of patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 in New Jersey hospitals has significantly declined in the past month. The state's previously rising COVID hospitalization total peaked at 6,089 patients Jan. 11 and has since reduced to 1,429 as of Sunday.

Local hospitals have begun to see less strain too, according to federal data. Here's what the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported for the week ending Feb. 3 — the most recently available hospital-specific data:

Morristown Medical Center

• 77 percent of adult inpatient beds used
• 67 percent of adult ICU beds used
• COVID-19 patients occupied 5 percent of adult inpatient beds and 8 percent of adult ICU beds

Saint Clare's Denville Hospital

• 54 percent of adult inpatient beds used
• 43 percent of adult ICU beds used
• COVID-19 patients occupied 7 percent of adult inpatient beds. COVID-19 data for the ICU wasn't available.

Chilton Medical Center (Pompton Plains)

• 61 percent of adult inpatient beds used
• 29 percent of adult ICU beds used
• COVID-19 patients occupied 8 percent of adult inpatient beds. COVID-19 data for the ICU wasn't available.

Kindred Hospital New Jersey - Morris County (Dover)

• 54 percent of adult inpatient beds used
• 43 percent of adult ICU beds used
• COVID-19 patients occupied 7 percent of adult inpatient beds. COVID-19 data for the ICU wasn't available.

Overlook Medical Center (Summit)

• 55 percent of adult inpatient beds used
• 34 percent of adult ICU beds used
• COVID-19 patients occupied 8 percent of adult inpatient beds and 9 percent of adult ICU beds.

Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (Livingston)

• 93 percent of adult inpatient beds used
• 50 percent of adult ICU beds used
• COVID-19 patients occupied 17 percent of adult inpatient beds and 12 percent of adult ICU beds.

The ratio of COVID-19 hospitalizations to total beds provides insight on how much strain a hospital is under. The ratio becomes concerning when it crosses 10 percent, and anything more than 20 percent represents "extreme stress," according to a framework the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation developed.

All aforementioned hospitals stood at less than 10 percent for the week ending Feb. 3 except Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, where COVID-19 patients occupied 17 percent of adult inpatient beds.

Vaccine Data

As of Monday, 50.9 percent of Morris County's fully vaccinated population received the COVID-19 booster shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. See who's eligible for a booster shot.

The agency reported that 80.3 percent of Morris County's vaccine-eligible population — people 5 and older — have completed their first COVID vaccine course. As of Monday, 94.5 percent of Morris County residents 5 and older have received at least one COVID shot.

Deaths

Sixteen people in Morris County died from COVID-19 in the past week, according to the CDC. The figure represents an 15.8 percent decline in COVID-19 deaths compared to the prior week.

What Else to Know

• State officials will allow masks to come off in K-12 schools on March 7. But anyone who continues to wear face coverings after the state mandate ends will be "wholly supported," Interim Superintendent Dr. Thomas Ficarra wrote Tuesday to the school community. Read more.
• As the omicron variant wanes in New Jersey, hospitalizations across Atlantic Health System's facilities have declined. With patient volume decreasing, the health care network pushed for people to get boosted against COVID-19. Read more.
• Several Morristown pharmacies plan to receive free N95 masks from the federal government. Bust they haven't arrived at most yet. Read more.
• Morristown Medical Center is one of the 50 best hospitals in the United States, according to a new ranking by Healthgrades. Read more.
• Do you miss the Morris County St. Patrick's Day Parade during its nearly three-year hiatus? If so, Gov. Phil Murphy has some encouraging news. With St. Patrick's Day parades set for next month, Murphy sees "no reason to cancel" the events. Read more.

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