Burlington County reported a total of 2,051 COVID-19 cases and 83 fatalities as of Friday, April 24th.

The town breakdown is as follows:

*There is a large change for Pemberton and Woodland and a few smaller changes for other municipalities due to the fact that we updated the information to reflect the correct addresses for residents at New Lisbon and a few other institutions throughout Burlington County. The New Jersey Department of Health is now publishing data on cases in long term care facilities and that information can be found at https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_dashboard.shtml.

CONTACT TRACING CLARIFICATION

Burlington County is actively engaged in contact tracing positive COVID19 cases. The focus is on close contacts, defined as closer than 6 feet for more than 10 minutes, household contacts and those that work in high risk settings such as healthcare workers and long term care facilities. If community exposure has occurred, where a COVID-19 positive person was in close contact with people for an extended period of time, while symptomatic, we will notify the public. Since residents are abiding by the social distancing requirements, we have not run into that issue since our first releases. Reminder: Mass exposure, due to social distancing guidelines, and the cooperation of the public has been minimized. Residents are reminded to remain 6 feet apart while obtaining essential items or services, and stay home unless absolutely necessary.

Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders thank our dedicated volunteers who have been working tirelessly during this public health crisis.

“Our County has been working hard to keep our residents safe during COVID-19,” said Burlington County Freeholder Director Felicia Hopson. “This has taken so much time and effort from our Health Department, Emergency Management team and first responders, but we could not do everything needed alone. Volunteers have logged hundreds, if not thousands of hours, to help our residents get through this difficult time. We thank you and we salute you.”

Responding to the COVID-19 outbreak has been a massive undertaking that has required additional resources for COVID-19 Testing and communicable disease investigation, including contact tracing.  This would not be possible without Burlington County’s partnership with many community organizations.

“Many volunteers have donated their time and talent to the COVID-19 response. We are grateful for their selfless dedication in these unprecedented times,” stated Dr. Herb Conaway, Director of the Burlington County Health Department.  “Their help in all phases of response has allowed the County to expand its testing capacity and contact tracing ability, both of which are very important components of limiting the spread of disease in the community.”

Burlington County residents wishing to schedule an appointment are assisted by both Rowan College of Burlington County (RCBC) nursing students, The College of New Jersey nursing students and Burlington County Medical Reserve Corps volunteers at the County’s COVID-19 Call Center.  There, the call takers screen residents for symptoms associated with COVID-19 and provide an appointment time for those who are eligible.  These students are also helping to notifying residents of their negative COVID-19 test results.

The COVID-19 drive-thru testing clinic is the next step in the process and where residents are swabbed for the coronavirus.  Medical Reserve Corp volunteers confirm the resident’s appointment upon arrival and verify their paperwork before sending them to the next station for the nasopharyngeal swab.

Led and supervised by Virtua Public Health Nurses, senior Rowan College of Burlington County (RCBC) nursing student volunteers have assisted with swabbing at the COVID-19 test site for symptomatic Burlington County residents, first responders and healthcare workers.

All staff and students completed a training session conducted by Virtua nursing staff that included proper swabbing technique, and proper donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE).  Each person successfully demonstrated competency for these skills and was placed on the rotation scheduled for the twice weekly test dates that allow for 300 persons per day to be tested.

“Each testing station has a team of five people: a Virtua Nurse Lead, students, and our MRC volunteers,” explained Agatha Reidy, Director of Nursing, Virtua Community Nursing Program at BCHD.  “The student volunteers have been a huge asset and are gaining invaluable experience as they complete their required clinical hours.  We are thrilled to have them as part of the team.”

The third and final step in the process is results notification and the communicable disease investigation.  Volunteer school nurses from various Burlington County school districts, volunteers from The College of New Jersey’s nursing program and other Medical Reserve Corp volunteers make phone calls to notify residents of their COVID-19 positive test results and provide them and their close contacts with isolation and quarantine guidelines.

Contact tracing is conducted under the supervision of Health Department Communicable Disease staff.

“The Health Department conducts contact tracing on a routine basis for many communicable diseases, and it is even more critical now,” stated Holly Cucuzzella, Health Officer.  “We need to contact everyone who tested positive so that we can provide guidance and limit further spread of the virus. The volunteers have effectively doubled our contact tracing capability, which is a critical part of the response.  We are grateful for their dedication.”

“We are very appreciative to our county and local law enforcement agencies and the Civil Air Patrol for their support at our testing site,” said Freeholder Director Hopson.  “Captain Abadia of the County Prosecutor’s Office has led the security team effort, which is a necessary component of test site operations.  Running a secure and safe test site with the volume of cars coming through is no easy task and could not be accomplished without their partnership and collaboration.”

Symptomatic Burlington County residents, and healthcare workers and first responders who live or work in the county can call the COVID-19 Call Center at 609-726-7097 to be screened for appointment eligibility.  COVID-19 Testing is conducted every Tuesday and Thursday, by appointment in Westampton.  For more information about COVID-19, please visit the Burlington County website at http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/1845/2019-Novel-Coronavirus-Information.  Information is available in multiple languages.

Individuals wishing to join the COVID-19 Response can volunteer with the Health Department’s Medical Reserve Corp by registering at https://njlmn.njlincs.net/jsp/mrc-index.jsp.  Be sure to select Burlington County and you will be contacted to complete your enrollment process.

The statewide COVID-19 count surpassed 100,000 cases as of Friday, climbing by 3,047 cases and 253 fatalities for a total of 102,196 cases and 5,617 fatalities.

COVID-19 Cases by County
Data is provisional and subject to revision.

BERGEN:

14363 Positive Test Results

934 Deaths

HUDSON:

13011 Positive Test Results

640 Deaths

ESSEX:

12110 Positive Test Results

975 Deaths

UNION:

11208 Positive Test Results

542 Deaths

PASSAIC:

10291 Positive Test Results

383 Deaths

MIDDLESEX:

9789 Positive Test Results

413 Deaths

OCEAN:

5612 Positive Test Results

301 Deaths

MONMOUTH:

5368 Positive Test Results

273 Deaths

MORRIS:

4716 Positive Test Results

340 Deaths

MERCER:

3086 Positive Test Results

178 Deaths

SOMERSET:

2921 Positive Test Results

198 Deaths

CAMDEN:

2750 Positive Test Results

106 Deaths

BURLINGTON:

2054 Positive Test Results

81 Deaths

GLOUCESTER:

923 Positive Test Results

30 Deaths

SUSSEX:

795 Positive Test Results

84 Deaths

WARREN:

729 Positive Test Results

61 Deaths

ATLANTIC:

566 Positive Test Results

29 Deaths

HUNTERDON:

490 Positive Test Results

22 Deaths

CUMBERLAND:

466 Positive Test Results

5 Deaths

CAPE MAY:

247 Positive Test Results

16 Deaths

SALEM:

169 Positive Test Results

6 Deaths