Mercer Co.'s COVID Cases Remain In 'Red Zone:' See Town Updates

Princeton NJ

23 January, 2021

10:20 PM

Description

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — The coronavirus continues to take a grim toll on Mercer County, impacting local businesses and schools in the region, according to updated state data (see town-by-town totals below). The state Department of Health's most recent "COVID-19 Activity Level Report," which is issued weekly, says Mercer County is still in the "red zone" for coronavirus cases. Mercer County reported 115 new cases as of Friday, taking the total number of positive cases to 22,336. Last week the total number of positive cases was 20,067. 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. Mercer County officials provided the following breakdown of cases by town: East Windsor Daily cases: 14Total cases: 1,862 Ewing Township Daily cases: 6Total cases: 2,298 Hamilton Township Daily cases: 26Total cases: 6,311 Hightstown Boro Daily cases: 2Total cases: 478 Hopewell Boro Daily cases: 0 Total cases: 48 Hopewell Township Daily cases: 4Total cases: 609 Lawrence Township Daily cases: 12Total cases: 1,578 Pennington Boro Daily cases: 0Total cases: 99 Princeton Daily cases: 10Total cases: 630 Robbinsville Township Daily cases: 0Total cases: 676 Trenton City Daily cases: 20Total cases: 7,032 West Windsor Township Daily cases: 9Total cases: 790 Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email [email protected] Get breaking news alerts on your phone with our app. Download here. Sign up to get Patch emails so you don't miss out on local and statewide news.