County’s Up 6 Cases, Young Adults Test Positive

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COURT HOUSE – June 22: Cape May County reported an increase of six new cases today, moving the county total from 708 to 714 COVID-19 cases. Three of today’s increases came in Middle Township long-term care facilities. The other new cases were community-based in Wildwood and Lower Township.
The county report noted that a total of 29 individuals tested positive but were not reported in the county spreadsheet because they are out of county residents. The report adds that 33 county residents tested positive in the last week, making a total of 52 individuals if the out of county persons are added.
The report states that “the majority of cases testing positive in the past week were young adults who were socializing without regard to the threats of spreading coronavirus.” This is a threat many in the county feared since such individuals become carriers who can increase the level of the outbreak.
With state numbers continuing to trend downward, Gov. Phil Murphy reported 359 new COVID-19 cases and 27 fatalities, bringing the state totals to 169,415 cases and 12,895 deaths. Pointing to the health metrics he considers most informative concerning the spread of the virus, Murphy said the test positivity rating was 2.42% and the rate of transmission remained below one, at 0.76.
COVID-19 hospitalizations stood at 1,029, down 52% since June 7. Of these, 287 patients required intensive or critical care with 213 on ventilators.
Murphy noted that COVID Act Now, a multidisciplinary team of experts that has tracked the virus since March, listed New Jersey as one of four states on track to contain COVID. The other three states were New York, Massachusetts and Michigan.
Murphy said progress was sufficient to continue easing restrictions. Today, Murphy announced the reopening of casinos, racetracks and indoor dining, as of July 2.  Indoor activities will be limited to 25% of their indoor capacity. Detailed protocols for the start of these activities will follow.
Early in today’s briefing, Murphy said the state was “in the middle part” of Stage 2 of his Road Back Program.