COVID Restrictions Tighten In Hackettstown Town Buildings

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ — Access to town buildings in Hackettstown was restricted as of Thursday “to limit exposure to COVID-19,” the police department wrote.

According to the County of Warren, Total positive COVID cases countywide since the start of the pandemic as of Dec. 29 were 13,943, which is an increase of 464 cases from the prior week, with 13,162 in the “recovered” category.

The week before that, the county says, the increase was 652 cases. Over the past week, the average case count is 67 per day, which is a decline from the week before, with 93 cases as the daily average.

In Hackettstown, the number of confirmed COVID cases as of Dec. 29 and since the pandemic start is 1,363, with 245 probable. There were 48 cases in long-term care facilities. Known recoveries in Hackettstown are 1,298.

“Effective immediately, all access to the Municipal Building and all municipal properties will be limited,” was a message posted across Hackettstown Police Department’s social media and in text message alerts.

As part of the restrictions, the town has mandated that:

• Masks be worn when entering any town building
• Residents use mail or online services whenever possible
• Pet licenses should be renewed by mail or dropped off to the dropbox in the front of the Municipal Building with the fees owed. Licenses will be mailed once paperwork is processed.
• Vital Records have been done by mail and will continue to be handled that way, until further notice from the town.

During the county’s reporting period ending Dec. 29, there have been five new COVID deaths, the previous week there were four.

Countywide, there are 192 tests each day, which is up from 158 the prior week, with a 47.2 percent positivity rate as of Dec. 26. The week before, it was 158 tests daily, with a 34.3 percent average on Dec. 19.

The county additionally noted seven COVID outbreaks at long-term care facilities, which is an increase from four in the week prior.

For Warren County’s most current, full COVID-19 case count breakdown, go to: https://www.warrencountynj.gov/government/health-department/covid-19-coronavirus/covid-19-report.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a local news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.