Mercer County’s Weekly COVID Cases Up 3 Percent: See Town Updates

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — The coronavirus continues to take a grim toll on Mercer County, impacting local businesses and schools in the region, according to updated state data (see town-by-town totals below).

Mercer County reported a total of 24,878 confirmed cases on Saturday, an increase of 739 and 3 percent over the previous week.

The rise is reflected in the state Department of Health's most recent "COVID-19 Activity Level Report," which is issued weekly. The most recent report, released Thursday, says Mercer County is now in the "orange zone" for coronavirus cases, dropping from the "red" zone from the previous week.

The "red zone" means the daily new COVID-19 virus case rate, per 100,000 people, is "very high" currently in 14 counties. That means they exceed 25 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day average. The "orange" zone means they have a rate of 10 to 25 cases per 100,000 people.

The latest reports say the overall coronavirus activity level is either "moderate," or "yellow," or "high," or "orange," in all New Jersey counties.

If the overall activity is at a "high" level, state officials said, school districts in those counties may have to take more serious steps — such as quarantining or even shutting down schools — if a child shows the symptoms of COVID-19.

"When it is high risk, there are some recommendations that we make together with local school boards," said Edward Lifshitz, medical director for the state Department of Health.

Indeed, a number of school districts have shifted to remote instruction as the numbers have risen.

The overall coronavirus risk rose to "high" in each of the counties because:

• The new daily case rate in each of the counties rose to 10 or more per 100,000 people.
• The percent of COVID-19-like illnesses rose above 5.52 in each of the counties.
• The percent of positive cases rose above 10.01.

Local officials provided the following breakdown of cases in some towns (Mercer County did not):

EAST WINDSOR TWP

• Population 2010: 27,190 Pop/SqMi: 1,737
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 3

EWING TWP

• Population 2010: 35,790 Pop/SqMi: 2,302
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 5

HAMILTON TWP

• Population 2010: 88,464 Pop/SqMi: 2,199
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 18 Total Cases: 5,694

HIGHTSTOWN BORO

• Population 2010: 5,494 Pop/SqMi: 4,360
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 1

HOPEWELL BORO

• Population 2010: 1,922 Pop/SqMi: 2,669
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 2

HOPEWELL TWP

• Population 2010: 17,304 Pop/SqMi: 294
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 2

LAWRENCE TWP

• Population 2010: 33,472 Pop/SqMi: 1,524
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 10

PENNINGTON BORO

• Population 2010: 2,585 Pop/SqMi: 2,665
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 2

PRINCETON

• Population 2010: 28,572 Pop/SqMi: 1,552
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 5 Total Cases: 581

ROBBINSVILLE TWP

• Population 2010: 13,642 Pop/SqMi: 663
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 1

TRENTON

• Population 2010: 84,913 Pop/SqMi: 10,317
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 16

WEST WINDSOR TWP

• Population 2010: 27,165 Pop/SqMi: 1,035
• Report Date: 2/11/2021, 7:00 AM
• Daily Cases: 7 Total Cases:

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