15 Coronavirus Deaths Now Reported In Point Pleasant Boro: UPDATE

POINT PLEASANT BORO —Point Pleasant Boro's number of deaths and coronavirus cases continue to rise, going from eight on May 3 to 15 this week.

The Ocean County Health Department also reported that the Boro's number of cases increased by at least 16 percent over the same period, from 176 to 207. The fatality rate nearly doubled.

By itself, the Crest Pointe Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Point Pleasant has had 96 cases and 11 deaths, according to state data released on Tuesday.

Mayor Robert A. Sabosik has sought to reassure residents but also noted that the community should expect cases to continue to rise.

"In regard to positive cases of COVID-19 in our community, I’ve previously stated that as tests become more available and time moves on, we will inevitably have a rise in positive cases as with all municipalities in our state," Sabosik said in his May 1 update.

Sabosik said the numbers are "a running total from when testing began over a month and a half ago," and does not reflect recoveries.

"I am in continual contact with health officials and have made multiple pleas for them to release the number of recovered cases as well," he said. "I think the people of Point Pleasant need to see the recovered cases and not just a running total of cases from the beginning."

The number of cases of the illness caused by the virus, known as COVID-19, continue to rise statewide and additional measures 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 have been closed. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Here are the latest updates from Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach:

CASES:

• Point Pleasant Boro had 205 cases and 14 deaths as of Tuesday, May 12, and Point Pleasant Beach had 27 cases and 5 deaths, according to the Ocean County Health Department.
• The first death among 55 cases of the coronavirus has been reported in a Point Pleasant Boro nursing home, according to statistics released by the state Department of Health. Read more: 1st Coronavirus Death Report At Point Pleasant Boro Nursing Home
• The Ocean County Health Department is now listing the number of deaths from the coronavirus in Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach. Read more: Coronavirus Fatalities Now Listed For Point Pleasant Boro, Beach
• Point Pleasant Boro had one of its biggest increases in coronavirus cases in one day as emergency personnel took time to thank the community. Read more: 12 Positive Coronavirus Tests In Point Pleasant Boro In 1 Day

VIOLATIONS:

• The owner of a Point Boro e-cigarette shop was charged with breaking the stay-at-home order in the coronavirus outbreak, police said. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro 'E. Cig' Shop Broke Coronavirus Order: Police
• A Point Pleasant Beach woman was charged with yelling "pigs! oink, oink!" at cops and blowing on EMTs, saying she had the coronavirus. Read more: Point Beach Woman Yells Coronavirus, 'Pigs! Oink!' At Police: PD
• A woman in Point Pleasant Boro was arrested after she implied she has the coronavirus – and even repeated the words "corona" and "virus" when she attacked officers, police said. Read more: Woman Attacks Point Pleasant Boro Cops, Saying 'Coronavirus:' PD
• A Point Pleasant Beach man was charged with the theft of N95 respirator masks from a business, prosecutors said. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Man Charged With Theft Of Respirator Masks
• Two people were charged for having a home rental in Point Beach that violated local restrictions amid the coronavirus crisis. Read more: 2 Charged For Point Pleasant Beach Home Rental Amid Coronavirus
• A business owner was charged with breaking New Jersey's coronavirus outbreak restrictions because she allowed workouts at her gym, police said. Read more: Gym Workouts In Point Pleasant Boro Broke Coronavirus Order: Cops
• A 37-year-old resident was charged with saying, "Do you want corona? Do you want to die?" to a woman at Sundaes ice cream, according to the Office of Attorney General. Read more: Woman Told 'Do You Want Corona?' Outside Point Boro Ice Cream: AG

PERSONAL STORIES:

• A Point Pleasant Beach woman talked to The Asbury Park Press about the anguish she went through when her son, 3, contracted the virus. Read more: Point Beach Mom's Reported Coronavirus Scare With 3-Year-Old Son

TRIBUTES:

• The Bay Head Fire Co. announced the passing of firefighter Dave Clark, who died following a long and tough battle with the COVID-19 virus. Read more: Bay Head Firefighter Dies From Coronavirus

SCHOOLS:

• All schools in Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach will remain closed through the academic year. Read more: New Jersey Schools Closed For Rest Of Academic Year: Gov. Murphy

ASSISTANCE:

• A Point Pleasant woman has started a Facebook page to make sure the Jersey Shore gets the help it needs amid the outbreak. Read more: Point Pleasant Woman's 'COVID19 Response' Facebook Provides Help

GOVERNMENT ACTION AND FINANCES:

• Point Pleasant Boro has agreed to follow Gov. Phil Murphy's lead and has extended the grace period for paying property taxes. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Agrees To Grace Period For Property Taxes
• Point Pleasant Beach doesn't expect that the coronavirus will have a major impact on the budget just yet – and the town should be able to avoid furloughs. Read more: No Furloughs Planned In Point Pleasant Beach
• Point Pleasant Boro schools warned about a potential "drop off" in revenues as the region continues to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Warns: Budget May Get Worse Amid Coronavirus

BUSINESSES:

• Point Pleasant Beach has come up with plans to reopen its beach, parks and stores if New Jersey eases restrictions. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Suggests Possible Beach Reopen Plan
• Many local businesses are in our guide of what's open, closed in Point Pleasant and Point Pleasant Beach during the coronavirus shutdowns. Read more: What's Open, Closed In Point Pleasant Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns
• Frye Brewing has a new product that even firefighters say is what Point Pleasant needs right now during the crisis. Read more: Frye Brewing's 'Home Flight Kit' Is What Point Pleasant Needs
• Morgan Taylor, a waitress at The Ark, got the "most amazing breath of fresh air" before non-essential businesses were shut. Read more: As Point Pleasant Beach Businesses Shut, A 'Breath Of Fresh Air'
• Stephanie "Petey" Cucci, the owner of PETEY'S US SUBS in Point Pleasant Boro, is doing what she calls a ST. MARY'S SUB. Her sister, Cate, says "wonderful and kind people" have been donating to a fund that allows people who can't afford a meal to get a half sub, a drink and chips. Read more: Petey's In Point Pleasant Is Helping The Hungry Amid Coronavirus
• The Point Pleasant area has participated in #thefrontstepschallenge with EVN FLO photography by Tim McGeough. Tim took pictures of people on their front porch, each of them projecting some semblance of normaliy in a very abnormal world. Read more: See The Photos In Point Pleasant Boro That Could Help Feed People

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.

CANCELLATIONS/CLOSURES

• Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra offered possible plans to allow the public back to the beach, the parks, the Manasquan Inlet and the downtown stores if New Jersey takes similar steps to reopen before Memorial Day. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Suggests Possible Beach Reopen Plan
• Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head and Mantoloking agreed to close their beaches on April 3rd. Read more: Beaches To Close In Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Mantoloking
• Point Pleasant Beach closed its boardwalk in late March after warning people not to congregate in the area. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Closes Boardwalk Due To Coronavirus Crisis
• 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
• Point Pleasant Boro prohibited vacation rental-by-owners in town and asking people to stay in their primary communities. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Prohibits Vacation Rentals Due To Coronavirus
• Point Pleasant Beach is placing a moratorium on the renting of all vacation homes and properties. This will include all online, private and realtor driven transactions. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Closes Boardwalk Due To Coronavirus Crisis
• All recreation and pre-school programs have closed in Point Pleasant Boro because of the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Closes All Recreation Programs, Pre-School

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.