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

WAYNE, NJ — The coronavirus continues to take a grim toll on Passaic County and Wayne Township, impacting local businesses and schools in the region, according to updated state data.

Passaic County reported 48,298 cases on Friday, an increase from 46,768 over the previous week and a rise of just over three percent.

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 Bergen County is still in the “red zone” for coronavirus cases.

The “red zone” means the daily new COVID-19 virus case rate, per 100,000 people, rose to "very high" in all 21 counties. That means they exceed 25 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day average.

The latest reports say the overall coronavirus activity level also rose from "moderate," or “yellow,” to "high," or “orange,” in recent weeks in all 21 New Jersey counties.

With the rise to 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.

Wayne Township Mayor Christopher Vergano announced that the township has reached 200 coronavirus deaths, a bleak milestone.

"Very sad news, and our condolences go out to all the members of the families of those people that we have lost," Vergano said.

There were 1,012 new coronavirus cases in the township in January, an average of 32.64 new cases per day, Vergano said. The case number was actually down by four from December.

Only 549 new cases were reported in November, with 154 reported in October.

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