Over 1,000 Tested For Coronavirus In Paramus Saturday: Tedesco

PARAMUS, NJ — Over 2,000 people were tested for the coronavirus through Bergen County's mobile testing program last week, County Executive Jim Tedesco said Sunday.

The program, done in partnership with Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, tested over 1,000 people during Saturday's stop in Paramus alone, Tedesco said. Conducted at Bergen County Special Schools, he added that most who received tests were school staff and faculty.

"As the number of positive cases rise in Bergen County and across the state it is ever more important to take preventative measures to slow the spread of COVID-19," Tedesco wrote in a Facebook post.

More testing dates will be announced this week, Tedesco said, as coronavirus cases in New Jersey continue to rise, and Gov. Phil Murphy rolls out additional restrictions hoping to combat the spread.

Speaking with Patch on Nov. 12, Bergen New Bridge CEO Deborah Visconi shared that asymptomatic testing could be the best way to do just that.

There is a "tremendous amount of asymptomatic spread," Visconi said, a trend the hospital has discovered at its mobile testing sites in partnership with Bergen County, but also inside the walls of the hospital, with more employees testing positive.

Not only is Visconi recommending expanded asymptomatic testing statewide, the hospital will also implement mandatory employee testing starting this week for all 2,200 hospital employees.

Through testing, she hopes that Bergen County can limit the impact coronavirus has on the region this time around.

"The surge we anticipated was going to come is here," said Bergen New Bridge CEO Deborah Visconi.

"Bergen County, once again, is one of the hot spots in the north," she added.

READ MORE: Bergen New Bridge To Begin Testing All Employees For Coronavirus

READ MORE: Bergen County Hospitals Prepare For Coronavirus 'Surge'