Two dozen Princeton residents, including 15 residents of two long-term care facilities, have died of COVID-19 complications since the first death was announced April 2, according to the Princeton Health Department.
Of those 24 residents who have succumbed to COVID-19, eight were residents at the Princeton Care Center on Bunn Drive and seven were residents at the Acorn Glen assisted living facility on Mount Lucas Road.
Seven of the 24 deaths have been deemed “probable positive expired” by the Princeton Health Department. Officials began including “probable deaths” May 8 in reports, based on the evaluation of death certificates and cross-referencing against lists provided by long-term care facilities.
Meanwhile, the number of Princeton residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 has begun to level off and stands at 173, officials announced May 27.
The downward trend of no new confirmed cases has continued, Princeton Health Officer Jeffrey Grosser said. No new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported since May 23.
Of the 173 residents who tested positive for COVID-19 – which includes the 24 residents who have died – there were 104 residents between 18 and 65 years old and 62 resident who were at least 66 years old. Six of the reported cases were in people younger than 17 years old.
Nearly 70 of those 173 residents are white, officials said. Fewer than 10 are African-American. Hispanics accounted for a little over 30 cases, while Asians made up slightly less than 30 cases, the Princeton Health Department reported.
For Mercer County residents who would like to be tested for COVID-19, Mercer County has set up an appointment-only, drive-through testing center in the parking lot across the street from the Mercer County Administration Building at 640 S. Broad St. in Trenton.
Any resident who has a physician’s prescription for a COVID-19 test is eligible to be tested on an appointment basis. Initially, only residents who were showing symptoms of COVID-19 were eligible for testing.
To be eligible for testing, it is necessary to be examined by a primary care physician, officials said. The physician will decide whether a test is needed and issue a prescription for the test.
There is no charge for testing at any of the Mercer County testing sites, which includes the drive-through site and appointment-only, walk-up sites in Trenton and Hightstown.