Caretet Mayor Dan Reiman has tested positive for COVID-19, writing on social media that he’s self-quarantined since last week and detailed the symptoms he experienced.  Reiman wrote that it took nearly seven days to get the test results, and urged  residents to adhere to the statewide stay-at-home order.

The mayor wrote this on Facebook:

‘Today I have become one of the more than 144,000 Americans and 13,000 New Jersey residents to date who have tested positive for COVID-19, more commonly referred to as Coronavirus.

I have self-quarantined since early last week on the advice of my physician after being informed I was in contact with individuals who had tested positive. I later began to develop several minor symptoms of COVID-19 including a 24-hour fever, headache, muscle pain and a cough. Initially diagnosed as a seasonal upper respiratory infection, days later medical professionals advised me to undergo testing and to continue to self-quarantine pending the results.

Upon learning about my potential exposure, I immediately removed myself from interactions with others including the public, borough staff, family and friends and followed all guidelines set forth by the CDC. When I went for my test, the medical staff I dealt with at Doctors Medi Center, 835 Roosevelt Avenue in Carteret, were extremely professional and provided comfort and guidance that I have been following and will continue to follow in the coming days.

I was tested last week and I received the results this morning, nearly seven days later, which is a long time to wait for results but it shows the importance of self-quarantining and following the advice of the CDC and Governor Murphy’s executive orders to help stop the spread of the virus.

Although I have been informed by doctors that I can return to work, I have decided, out of an abundance of caution, to remain at home for the remainder of the week and to continue to avoid any interaction with others.

I continue to conduct Borough business through phone conference, call-in and email communication with department heads, staff and the public.

I share this personal information today, immediately upon having learned the results, to HELP educate the public, to encourage adherence to the CDC guidelines and to Governor Murphy’s executive orders which were enacted to keep us all safe, and to support those who have been diagnosed .There should be no stigma associated with COVID-19 and people should not feel shame or embarrassment by the fact they have contracted it. Instead, impacted individuals need to share that information with family, friends and others to stop the spread. My case appears very mild and today a week later I have just a cough but many other residents and Americans are dealing with much more serious effects of the virus.

Although the challenges presented by the Coronavirus have become personal to myself and many others, I am confident that our strength as a borough, state, and national community will ultimately define our victory over this global pandemic. I continue to keep all of the Carteret community, our first responders and our medical professionals in my thoughts and prayers and ask that all of Carteret do the same.’

Carteret has 15 COVID-19 cases, according to NJ.com.

There have been 3,347 new cases in the past 24 hours, with 16,636 COVID-19 cases, and a loss of another 37 residents, bringing the total fatalities to 198, as of 2pm Monday March 30th.

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

3,847 Positives Pending Further Information

Bergen County:

2,482 Positive Test Result(s)

Essex County:

1,564 Positive Test Result(s)

Hudson County:

1,314 Positive Test Result(s)

Union County:

1,213 Positive Test Result(s)

Middlesex County:

1,123 Positive Test Result(s)

Passaic County:

1,091 Positive Test Result(s)

Monmouth County:

1,030 Positive Test Result(s)

Ocean County:

874 Positive Test Result(s)

Morris County:

720 Positive Test Result(s)

Somerset County:

349 Positive Test Result(s)

Mercer County:

249 Positive Test Result(s)

Camden County:

200 Positive Test Result(s)

Burlington County:

178 Positive Test Result(s)

Sussex County:

113 Positive Test Result(s)

Gloucester County:

89 Positive Test Result(s)

Hunterdon County:

79 Positive Test Result(s)

Warren County:

68 Positive Test Result(s)

Atlantic County:

29 Positive Test Result(s)

Cumberland County:

12 Positive Test Result(s)

Cape May County:

9 Positive Test Result(s)

Salem County:

3 Positive Test Result(s)