An elderly man has become the fifth resident of the Princeton Care Center on Bunn Drive to die of COVID-19 complications, the Princeton Health Department announced April 29.
The 98-year-old man also is the ninth Princeton resident to die of the disease since the first death was announced April 2, officials said.
Four men who were residents of the Princeton Care Center died of COVID-19 earlier in April. The first resident at the long term care facility to die was a man in his 80s who had underlying health issues and whose death was announced April 8.
The second Princeton Care Center resident to die was a 94-year-old man whose death was announced April 14. Two more men – one man in his 80s and one man in his 90s – died between April 17 and April 20 at the long term care facility.
As of April 29, there have been 25 residents and staff at the Princeton Care Center who have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.
The plan at the Princeton Care Center is to isolate residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 and those who are symptomatic in a separate wing at the Bunn Drive long term care facility, officials said. Staff members who have been in contact with persons who have confirmed cases of COVID-19 are placed in quarantine for 14 days.
The Princeton Care Center is monitoring the vital signs of all residents and staff daily. Spread of the disease by asymptomatic persons has not been ruled out, so the Princeton Health Department is working with the nursing home to have all staff tested for COVID-19, officials said.
In addition to the five men who have died of COVID-19 at the Princeton Care Center, four Princeton residents have died of the disease since April 2. Their ages ranged from 70 years old to 92 years old. One woman lived at the Acorn Glen assisted living facility, but the others did not live in a long term care facility.
The nine men and women are among the 112 Princeton residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 as of April 29. They are also among the 6,770 New Jerseyans who have died of COVID-19 to date, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. Thus far, 116,264 New Jersey residents have tested positive for the disease.