Summit's October Coronavirus Case Total Three Times August Rate

Caren Lissner
Updated ·5 min read

SUMMIT, NJ — The city of Summit said on Monday that 37 residents have been confirmed to have coronavirus since Oct. 1. This is a big difference from August, when the city had fewer than 10 cases in a month.

Cases are rising in local towns and in New Jersey as a whole right now. READ MORE: Ten More NJ Counties Backslide In Coronavirus Crisis

A total of 289 Summit residents have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic reached New Jersey in March. In New Jersey, 18 Summit residents have died from the virus, the most recent a 102-year-old woman earlier this month.

At the height of the crisis in New Jersey, 460 people died from the virus in 24 hours on April 30. READ MORE: 'I Cannot Get Air': When Local Woman Begged For Coronavirus Test

Want to be the first to get news alerts with breaking stories in Summit, or to get a free local newsletter each morning? Sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.

A report in TAPinto said that two more people in local public schools were confirmed as testing positive this week, one in the high school and one in the middle school. Five others in local schools have tested positive so far.

In the past, Summit's case number has been lower than surrounding towns. Approximately 22,000 people live in the city.

More than 215,000 Americans and 14,425 people in New Jersey have died from the virus so far.

Here are some other Summit coronavirus statistics, testing information, and facts.

OTHER STATISTICS

In New Jersey eighteen Summit residents have died from the virus, the most recent a 102-year-old woman earlier this month.

Additional information is available at https://www.cityofsummit.org/660/COVID-19.

SCHOOLS

HOW TO GET TESTED

  • Union County has added mobile walk-up test sites in addition to the drive-through testing site located at Kean University. Testing is free for Union County residents and is by appointment only with no car required; participants must wear masks and observe social distance. Any Union County resident can make an appointment for a test, whether they have symptoms. To pick a location, date and time, and to make an appointment online, visit ucnj.org/coronavirus-update/walk-up.

  • Union County residents who need to make an appointment by phone can call 908-518-4307 for assistance. Non-profit organizations and other community groups can call the Union County Office of Emergency Management at 908-654-9881 to request a visit from the Mobile Test Unit.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

  • During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.

  • The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.

  • New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.

  • Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.

  • Programs are being added constantly, so don't think you can't get help. Reach out to your local mayor's office to find out what kind of funds may be available to help you get through this time.

LONG-TERM CARE

  • Recently, there were 159 long term care facilities with active outbreaks, the state Department of Health said this month. The state also announced that deaths at the facilities had more than doubled since May 1. The state has stopped updating the numbers at facilities without current outbreaks.

  • New Jersey residents were already alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities. The state announced plans in May to increase testing at some long term care facilities and to bring in the National Guard temporarily to help make changes.

  • The state released death toll statistics late in spring for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.

  • You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.

  • Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.

Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

  • NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/

  • General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1

  • NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

Got news? Email Caren.Lissner@patch.com. Want to be the first to get news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning? Sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.

This article originally appeared on the Summit Patch