Coronavirus Cases At 4 Cape May Co. Longterm Care Homes: State

CAPE MAY COUNTY, NJ — Four longterm care facilities in Cape May County have reported cases of the new coronavirus, according to state officials.

The New Jersey Department of Health released its first public count of coronavirus cases and deaths in long-term care facilities. Deaths include those who tested positive, people with pending test results and respiratory-illness deaths for which COVID-19 testing wasn't performed.

Facilities report case totals to officials, so they may not reflect real-time data. The publicly released numbers don't differentiate residents and staff. No Ocean City facilities were listed.

Victoria Manor in North Cape May is the county's only facility with reported deaths from the virus as of Monday. The Cape May County Health Department previously reported an outbreak at the facility.

State officials reported the following at Cape May County longterm care facilities:

• Genesis Healthcare Victoria Manor, North Cape May, 52 cases, nine deaths
• Genesis Court House Center, Cape May Court House, four cases, no deaths
• North Cape Center, North Cape May, two cases, no deaths
• Victoria Commons, North Cape May, one case, no deaths

The CMCHD has reported 217 total cases in the county, including 15 deaths and 62 people cleared off quarantine as of Monday afternoon. County officials reported six new positive cases and two deaths Monday. A 51-year-old Upper Township woman and an 83-year-old Lower Township man died from the virus.

County officials first reported the Victoria Manor outbreak April 6, announcing that 15 residents and 11 staff had the virus. Monday's totals from the state don't differentiate residents from staff.

"The situation is very serious, and we are deeply concerned about residents of our senior care facilities in Cape May County," Health Officer Kevin Thomas said April 6. "That is why we need everyone to follow the stay-at-home order, social distancing guidance and other measures in recent health orders — to protect the people in our community who are vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19."

The reported figures in Cape May County indicate that 27.1 percent of cases and 60 percent of coronavirus deaths are linked to longterm care facilities.

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The NJDOH ordered facilities to curtail visitors March 14. Longterm care facilities must also create outbreak plans that include clear policies for notifying residents, staff and family members when coronavirus cases have been identified in their facilities.

"The Department of Health is working on a statewide plan to assist nursing homes experiencing large outbreaks and shortages of staff and equipment," NJDOH spokesperson Dawn Thomas said in an email to Patch. "We are surveying their status including current census, available beds, ability to cohort staff and patients, physical layout, supplies, staffing and other resources they might need."

According to officials, 425 longterm care facilities in New Jersey have had outbreaks, totaling 10,744 cases and 1,779 deaths.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

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