Westfield Mayor Reports 12 New Coronavirus Cases On Tuesday

WESTFIELD, NJ — After Westfield made the news recently for an increase in coronavirus cases among adults aged 18-25 — some linked to local parties — Mayor Shelley Brindle said at Tuesday night's council meeting that 12 new cases had been reported that day, and none the day before.

Brindle said that despite the bad news, there was good news in terms of young people getting tested.

"I am grateful for the proactive and responsible posture that many of these young adults in our community assumed," she said, "I learned that yesterday the Kean testing center tested about 120 Westfield residents, whereas on days just prior they tested about 20. "

But she also gave sobering news that served as a reminder of the cruel ramifications of the virus. Brindle reported: "I am saddened to report an additional fatality, an 82 year-old male associated with a long term care facility. This death occurred back in May, but was only now reported to us due to an error in the lab’s system. Regardless of the timing, let’s remember that this is another life tragically lost as we keep this resident and his family in our thoughts."

That death brings the death toll in Westfield due to the virus is 43. Westfield has had 325 cases among residents. The last reported death was six weeks ago, on June 3.

On Tuesday, at Gov. Phil Murphy's daily press briefing, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Perischilli said that the state is becoming more concerned about young people getting and spreading coronavirus, and cited the recent increase in cases of Westfield young adults (ages 18-25).

"I want to especially emphasize to our young people that they are not invincible or immune to COVID-19," Perischilli said.

[SEE: Westfield Fall School Reopening Plans Discussed.]

On Tuesday, Brindle also asked people not to shame those who may have had a social event where someone got the virus.

And she noted:

"At our last Town Council meeting just two weeks ago on June 30, I was thrilled to notify everyone that Westfield had not reported any new cases in the previous 13-day period. Since then, we have reported 43 new cases out of our 325 in total. While we of course expect some fluctuations over time as restrictions are lifted, I think the last few days have, if nothing else, served as a wake up call that we cannot let our guard down amidst what is still an active pandemic.

"As you know, these recent cases signify a demographic shift, with the majority of those under age 25. Some are attributed to July 4th parties, while others stem from group house rentals as well as recent travel to out of state hot spots. That being said, I want to reiterate that this spike in cases should not be an impetus for public shaming. In fact, I am grateful for the proactive and responsible posture that many of these young adults in our community assumed -- not only by getting tested upon realizing they had been exposed, but also by conducting outreach to let others know of their positive test results...

"Anyone who feels they may have been exposed should do two things: Immediately quarantine, and get tested. It’s important to do both because you may test too early after exposure and receive a false negative result while continuing to expose others. I know we are all grateful that, by all accounts, none of the current cases in these young adults appears to be serious -- but that does not mean these cases can’t contribute to community spread and potentially infect those who are more vulnerable.

"I continue to receive numerous messages from residents concerned by friends or neighbors not quarantining after traveling to known hot spots. Please take the quarantine advisory seriously if you have traveled to one of the 22 states identified by the Governor. In addition, I want to clarify that the outdoor and indoor maximum gathering numbers permitted by the Governor also carry additional requirements:

• Indoor gatherings must be limited to 100 people or 25% of a room's capacity -- whichever number is lower. All attendees at indoor gatherings must wear face coverings and stay six feet apart.
• Outdoor gatherings must be limited to 500 people and social distancing must be practiced. Individuals must wear face coverings outdoors when social distancing is difficult to maintain."

Quarantine states, testing, and Westfield updates

Gov. Phil Murphy has told residents to quarantine when returning from 22 states that are currently experiencing their own daily records in hospitalizations and deaths this month, such as Florida and Texas, which recently had to re-close beaches and bars. (Four states were added to the list on Tuesday, and Delaware was removed.)

To find out about getting tested in Union County, contact your doctor, visit covid19.nj.gov/testing, or see this link for more information.

For past Westfield coronavirus updates, statistics, testing information, and reopening updates, see this story.

At the peak of the virus in New Jersey, on April 30, 460 people were recorded as passing away in 24 hours, or one person every three minutes. Average deaths reported each day have declined since then, generally hovering between 25 and 45 in July. More than 13,000 people have died of the virus in New Jersey since early March.

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