Three New COVID-19 Deaths in County

The Cape May County Health Department on Wednesday reported 25 new COVID-19 cases, including three that caused the deaths of a 71-year-old man and an 86-year-old man, both from Lower Township, and a 71-year-old woman from Middle Township. The total number of coronavirus deaths in Cape May County now stands at 30. Altogether, there have been 404 cases in the county, according to a press release. “We are all profoundly saddened by this news,” said Cape May County Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton. “Our prayers are with the families and loved ones at this sad time. The unfortunate reality is that there will likely be more deaths as the number of cases grow, which is why social distancing is so important, especially around our elderly population.” Following is a breakdown of the total number of coronavirus cases and deaths in each municipality in Cape May County:

MUNICIPALITY	ACTIVE CASES	REPORTED TODAY	OFF QUARANTINE	DEATHS	LONG TERM CARE ACTIVE CASES	LONG TERM CARE CENTER DEATHS
AVALON	1		6
CAPE MAY CITY	1	1	3
CAPE MAY POINT	0
DENNIS TOWNSHIP	7	3	9	1	26	2
LOWER TOWNSHIP	16	17	48	3	43	17
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP	20	2	41	2	4
NORTH WILDWOOD	3		6
OCEAN CITY	7		20		1
SEA ISLE CITY	0		2
STONE HARBOR	0
UPPER TOWNSHIP	15		24	2
WEST CAPE MAY	1		1
WEST WILDWOOD	2		1
WILDWOOD	11		18
WILDWOOD CREST	0		9
WOODBINE	7	2	1	1	20	2
TOTAL ACTIVE	91				94
TOTAL RECOVERED			189
TOTAL DECEASED				9		21
TOTAL CASES IN CAPE MAY COUNTY	404

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger, the county said in the press release. Stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include:

• Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones
• Changes in sleep or eating patterns
• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
• Worsening of chronic health problems
• Worsening of mental health conditions
• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include:

• Older people and people with chronic diseases who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19
• Children and teens
• People who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors, other health care providers, and first responders
• People who have mental health conditions including problems with substance use

Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with stress. Helping others cope with their stress can also make your community stronger. Ways to cope with stress include:

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
• Take care of your body.
  • Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
  • Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
  • Exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep.
  • Avoid alcohol and drugs.
• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.

Call your healthcare professional if you have concerns about COVID-19 and your underlying health conditions. Stay up to date on the coronavirus crisis as it evolves. Some reliable sources are the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System hotline at 211 or 1-800-962-1253, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov, the World Health Organization at http://www.who.intand the New Jersey Department of Health at COVID19.nj.gov. For additional information, visit https://capemaycountynj.gov/ or the Cape May County Department of Health at cmchealth.net.