NEW JERSEY — As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, there’s been growing concern on the toll the virus has takenat long-term care facilities.
Friday, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli released data for the state’s long-term care facilities, including the number of cases and the number of deaths for each county.
Persichilli said 384 long-term care facilities reported at least one COVID-19 case in New Jersey, with 9,094 individuals testing positive and 1,530 deaths reported in these facilities.
- Atlantic: Eight facilities are impacted by COVID-19. Within those facilities, there were 53 cases and six deaths
- Bergen: 51 facilities, 1,831 cases, 352 deaths
- Burlington: 15 facilities, 310 cases, 32 deaths
- Camden: 14 facilities, 281 cases, 48 deaths
- Cape May: Four facilities, 30 cases, two deaths
- Cumberland: Two facilities, three cases, no deaths
- Essex: 38 facilities, 969 cases, 204 deaths
- Gloucester – Seven facilities, 47 cases, eight deaths
- Hudson: 12 facilities, 361 cases, 57 deaths
- Hunterton: Four facilities, 143 cases, 20 deaths
- Mercer: 19 facilities, 344 cases, 38 deaths
- Middlesex: 35 facilities, 832 cases, 162 deaths
- Monmouth: 40 facilities, 782 cases, 114 deaths
- Morris: 32 facilities, 829 cases, 150 deaths
- Ocean 32 facilities, 553 cases, 43 deaths
- Passaic: 18 facilities, 460 cases, 76 deaths
- Salem: Two facilities, 18 cases, one death
- Somerset: 24 facilities, 456 cases, 58 deaths
- Sussex: Five facilities, 161 cases, 45 deaths
- Union: 26 facilities, 472 cases, 91 deaths
- Warren: Six facilities, 169 cases, 23 deaths
The data released in Friday’s news conference comes on the heels of news that nursing homes in New Jersey and New York were not properly taking care of bodies of those that have succumbed to the virus, or had become overwhelmed with vitcims.
Earlier in the week, New Jersey police discovered an over-capacity morgue inside of one of the state’s largest nursing homes.
According to CNN, a tip of a body in a shed led cops to the Andover Subacute and Rehab Center II.
While the original tip was unfounded, officers were met by overwhelmed staff at the facility asking for help with bodies in their small morgue.
Officers responding Monday night were then met with 17 bodies of deceased residents, each in a body bag, crammed into the morgue only meant to hold up to four bodies, the New York Times reported.
Thirteen of the discovered bodies were taken and brought to a refrigerated trailer at the nearby Newton Medical Center and four remained at the nursing home.
Persichilli, the health commissioner, said Thursday the department was contacted by the facility over the weekend as it was in need for body bags for deceased residents.
A team was sent out to survey the facility, which had appropriate staffing and PPE at the time, according to Persichilli. Since then, the facility was ordered to report daily to the health department.
Gov. Phil Murphy called news about the incident “completely unacceptable” while Persichilli said the health department is “not pleased with what’s going on at the Andover facility.”
While Andover Police Chief Eric Danielson told CNN it’s not clear if all the residents died from COVID-19 complications, nursing homes in New jersey and nationally have been hit hard by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
More than 3,300 deaths nationwide have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities as of Thursday.
The Associated Press and CNN Newsource contributed.
