Latest Asbury Park Coronavirus Updates: What You Need To Know

ASBURY PARK —The new coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey and across the nation is having impacts in Asbury Park, including the closure of schools and many businesses.

The number of cases of the illness caused by the virus, known as COVID-19, continue to rise and additional measures and closures continue to be announced. The governor has declared a "stay-at-home order for the entire state. All non-life-sustaining businesses in New Jersey closed.

Here are the latest local updates from Asbury Park:

CASES:

• Asbury Park had 184 cases as of Saturday, May 16, according to the Monmouth County Health Department.
• Asbury Park had one of its biggest increases in coronavirus cases in a two-day span from April 3 through 5th. Read more: 12 Positive Coronavirus Tests In Asbury Park In 2 Days

SCHOOLS:

• All schools in Asbury Park will remain closed through the academic year. Read more: New Jersey Schools Closed For Rest Of Academic Year: Gov. Murphy
• The Asbury Park School District said it has new instructional work for your child. The district has hosted "Operation Give and Take" at the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School for all students in grades pre-K through 8th grade. Read more: Asbury Park Starts 'Operation Give-And-Take'

PERSONAL STORIES:

• Talk about a heroine in a crisis. News12 has a video of a 99-year-old woman from Asbury Park as she was released from Jersey Shore Medical Center this week after suffering from the coronavirus. Read more: News12 Video Of Asbury Park Woman, 99, Recovered From Coronavirus

GOVERNMENT:

• Asbury Park has extended its grace period for tax and sewer payments due May 1 to June 1. Read more: Asbury Park Grace Period For Property Taxes, Sewer Payments

TRIBUTES:

• Two brothers from Asbury Park fought the coronavirus, and they both succumbed to the disease just one week apart. Read more: 2 Brothers From Asbury Were Victims Of Coronavirus One Week Apart

BUSINESSES:

• Many local businesses are in our guide of what's open and closed in Asbury Park during the coronavirus shutdowns. Read more: What's Open, Closed In Asbury Park During Coronavirus Shutdowns
• Asbury Park Dinner Table is ready to serve during the coronavirus outbreak. The group says it's on a mission to help local restaurants and hungry families during these insecure times. Read more: Asbury Park Dinner Table Ready To Serve Amid Coronavirus Crisis
• The Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce has created an information hub as the city deals with shutdowns because of the coronavirus crisis. Read more: Asbury Park's New Business Hub: Here's Where You Can Get Takeout
• In an effort to help new construction, property sales and new rental agreements in Asbury Park, Asbury Park's Code Enforcement and Construction Departments will resume construction, certificate of occupancy and transfer-of-title inspections on a limited basis. Read more: Asbury Park Code, Construction Departments To Resume Work

HELP AND ASSISTANCE:

• In response to the new coronavirus, the Asbury Park Fire Department has purchased a new AeroClave RDS 3110 mobile disinfection system to help protect against the disease. Read more: Asbury Park Installs Mobile Disinfection System Amid Coronavirus

HOSPITALS AND TESTING:

• Hackensack Meridian offers COVID19 testing at its nine urgent care centers in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
• Immediate care of Marlboro is offering a drive-thru COVID19 test in the Marlboro Medical Arts site located at 479 Rt 520 in Marlboro. Testing is by appointment only at (855) 925-5467 ext 0.
• The PNC Bank Arts Center is a regional FEMA drive-thru test location and is open for testing every other day from 8 a.m. to 4pm for up to 500 persons per day. Click here for PNC Arts Test Center info & schedule.
• On every Saturday, the PNC Bank Arts Center site will be dedicated to symptomatic health care workers and first responders -- police, fire, and EMS -- with valid credentials only. The general public will not be able to access this site on Saturdays.
• Central Jersey Urgent Care is testing up to 80 patients daily at Eatontown, Howell and Marlboro.

OTHER CANCELLATIONS/CLOSURES

• The city has issued updates that will impact metered and alternate side parking, among other related issues. Read more: Asbury Park Issues Metered Parking, Transportation Updates
• Asbury Park closed its boardwalk to the public in late March, saying it was shutting the attraction until further notice to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Read more: Asbury Park Closes Boardwalk Due To Coronavirus Crisis
• Asbury Park's emergency management coordinator declared a state of local disaster emergency. Read more: Asbury Park State Of Emergency, Curfew Due To Coronavirus
• Asbury Park issued parking and transportation restrictions due to the coronavirus late March. Read more: Parking, Transportation Updates In Asbury Park Due To Coronavirus
• In an effort to limit travel to the city, Asbury Park has suspended all hotel, motel and guest house reservations for lodging within the city. Read more: Asbury Park Hotel, Motel, Guest House Reservations Suspended
• Murphy issued a state-at-home order and closed non-essential businesses earlier in March. Read more: Gov. Murphy Announces NJ 'Stay-At-Home' Order Due To Coronavirus
• In an effort to limit travel to the city to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Asbury Park will be suspending all short-term rentals. Read more: Short-Term Rentals in Asbury Park Suspended

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

Here's what else you should know:

• Murphy offered a broad reopening plan on Monday, April 27, providing a six-point outline to "restart New Jersey and put the state on the road to recovery." Read more: Gov. Murphy Issues 6-Point NJ Reopen Plan In Coronavirus Crisis
• Murphy issued a stay-at-home order on Saturday, March 21, closing all non-essential business. Read more: Gov. Murphy Announces NJ 'Stay-At-Home' Order Due To Coronavirus
• Murphy announced on Monday, May 4 that schools will close for the rest of the academic year because of the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: New Jersey Schools Closed For Rest Of Academic Year: Gov. Murphy
• Murphy ordered stores across New Jersey on Wednesday, April 8 to require shoppers to wear face coverings or masks. Here's how you can get yours, and how the new rule will be enforced. Read more: NJ Shoppers Must Wear Masks: Where To Get Them, How It's Enforced
• Here are 10 resources for you and your family to utilize as you navigate through the outbreak: Unemployment, Tests, Food: 10 NJ Resources In Coronavirus Crisis
• New Jersey's courts suspended all new jury trials until further notice, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said on Thursday, March 12. Read more: Coronavirus Throws Monkey Wrench Into New Jersey Court System
• Murphy said during a live press conference on Wednesday, March 25 that he's ordering many day care centers to shut amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Gov. Murphy To Shut Many Day Care Centers Amid Coronavirus Crisis
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory for New Jersey. Read more: CDC Travel Advisory For NJ: No Coronavirus Travel Ban From Trump

How It Spreads

The virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading from person-to-person. Someone who is actively sick with COVID-19 can spread the illness to others. That is why CDC recommends that these patients be isolated either in the hospital or at home (depending on how sick they are) until they are better and no longer pose a risk of infecting others.

There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19.

While the best way to prevent illness is to avoid virus exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention always recommends taking preventive actions to contain the spread of viruses. This includes:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.