Union County’s COVID Cases Remain 'Very High:' See Updates

UNION COUNTY, NJ — The coronavirus continues to take a grim toll on Union County, impacting local businesses and schools in the region, according to updated state data.

The state Department of Health's most recent "COVID-19 Activity Level Report," which is issued weekly, says Union County is still in the “red zone” for coronavirus cases.

Union County reported 44,115 cases since the beginning of the pandemic as of Friday, up from 42,428 cases the previous week, an increase of 1,687 cases. The new death toll is 1,480, an increase of 34 from 1,446 the previous week.

The “red zone” means the daily new COVID-19 virus case rate, per 100,000 people, rose to "very high" in all 21 counties. That means they exceed 25 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day average.

The latest reports say the overall coronavirus activity level also rose from "moderate," or “yellow,” to "high," or “orange,” in recent weeks in all 21 New Jersey counties.

With the rise to a "high" level, state officials said, school districts in those counties may have to take more serious steps — such as quarantining or even shutting down schools — if a child shows the symptoms of COVID-19.

"When it is high risk, there are some recommendations that we make together with local school boards," said Edward Lifshitz, medical director for the state Department of Health.

Indeed, a number of school districts have shifted to remote instruction as the numbers have risen.

The overall coronavirus risk rose to "high" in each of the counties because:

• The new daily case rate in each of the counties rose to 10 or more per 100,000 people.
• The percent of COVID-19-like illnesses rose above 5.52 in each of the counties.
• The percent of positive cases rose above 10.01.

Read about the Union County vaccination sites here.

As of Friday, more than 434,000 Americans had died of the virus. (You can see which states had the highest death toll in the past week on this CDC map.)

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

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