Westfield Goes A Week Without A Coronavirus Case

WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield has gone a week without any new coronavirus cases being reported, Mayor Shelley Brindle said Tuesday night. This was the first long stretch of time without a new case since a two-week span in late June, and came after the town expressed concerns about an uptick in cases in July traced to parties.

Brindle said Tuesday that the total of cases in Westfield since the beginning of the pandemic is now 361.

On Friday, Aug. 14, 11 days ago, Brindle had reported that the total was 360. Numbers are reported twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The total fatalities remain at 43 since the most recent death on June 3.

The Westfield Regional Health Department gave context on Tuesday about their contact tracing efforts. Of the 21 most recent cases they investigated in Westfield, Brindle said:

• Six cases had positive household contacts
• Six cases had no known exposure
• Five cases did not return the call
• One case had a known exposure (social exposure)
• One case refused to participate in the interview
• One case was associated with travel
• One case is still under investigation

You can see the mayor's breakdown of coronavirus cases from the entire month of July by clicking here, as well as how many were traced to social gatherings. READ MORE: Westfield Mayor Issues Breakdown Of New Coronavirus Cases

An earlier list of local updates and reopenings can be found here.

Here are some other recent Westfield coronavirus and reopening updates:

HOW TO GET TESTED

Those who want to get tested can choose among these steps:

• If you're a Union City resident, you can make an appointment at the county testing site by calling 908-214-7107.
• To find out more about getting tested in Union County, contact your doctor, visit covid19.nj.gov/testing, or call 211.
• The schedule for the Union County drive-through testing center has changed several times since the pandemic began, so call the number for the most up-to-date information.

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS

• Area resident Connor Myers will give a porch concert on Boulevard on Thursday. Read more here.
• Field of Dreams will be shown Thursday night in Tamaques Park with the Grain & Cane food truck on site. Tickets for the Westfield 300 Summer Movie Series are free but require advance registration here.
• Read about updated Quimby Street events, rules, and street closings here.
• Read about outdoor dining in Westfield here.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

• During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.
• The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.
• New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.
• Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.

STATE AND NATIONAL NUMBERS AND TRENDS

• New Jersey updated its list of states in its travel advisory on Tuesday. There are now 31 states and two territories from which residents must quarantine upon return. Read more here.
• The state has reported 190,021, total coronavirus cases and 14,124 confirmed deaths since the pandemic began. On Tuesday, the state reported 346 new cases and five new deaths. This death rate is down from the high of 460 deaths in 24 hours reported on April 30.
• Many other states reached record daily death rates in July (see the daily totals in each state here). They have pulled back on their reopenings, including Texas, which closed bars after seeing record numbers of hospitalizations and deaths.
• More than 176,000 Americans have died of coronavirus, and more than 5.6 million have tested positive.
• More than 900 health care workers have died of the virus nationally. Others are fighting dangerous misinformation as they fight the virus.
• Statewide, residents are encouraged to social distance, wear masks in public places, and limit most indoor gatherings to 25 people.
  

LONG-TERM CARE

• New Jersey residents have become alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities. The state announced plans in May to increase testing at some long term care facilities and to bring in the National Guard to help make changes.
• The state released death toll statistics for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.
• You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.
• Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.
• Other states have been dealing with nursing home deaths more recently, including a recent outbreak in a Texas nursing home.

Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

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