SOUTH BRUNSWICK – For the fourth time since June 14, South Brunswick has seen its weekly COVID-19 positive cases in the double digits, with 24 new cases reported last week.
This is the highest number of new cases since early May. While this is a change from recent trends, during which South Brunswick was mostly in the single digits, officials look for trends over several weeks to show emerging patterns, according to information provided by the South Brunswick Office of Emergency Management on Oct. 27.
The average age of the 24 people who tested positive last week was 36 years of age, according to the statement. Eleven were male and 13 were female.
In addition to those 24 new cases, officials were informed of six additional cases confirmed from previous months, bringing the total number of COVID positive cases to 607 in the township, according to the statement.
No new deaths were reported; the total stands at 33.
There are a few factors that may explain this week’s increase, as detailed in the statement. It appeared that several cases involved significant community spread contained within family groups, meaning that efforts to quarantine from the community at large were effective, but the virus still spread throughout their individual households. In addition, there was a backlog in reporting by a lab, causing numbers to be higher when numbers were released.
South Brunswick Office of Emergency Management, Police Department, and Health Department continue to work closely with our public and private school leadership in communicating vital information, assessing potential threats to safety, and collaborating on planning as students participate more and more in in-person activities.
Middlesex County reports a total of 21,783 residents who have tested positive as of Oct. 27, according to the statement.
Statewide, 957 people are hospitalized from COVID, down from a high of more than 8,000 in April.
The New Jersey State Department of Health website, https://covid19.nj.gov, provides a daily update on county and state COVID case changes.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK COVID TRACKING NUMBERS
| Week | Positive Residents | Average Age | Male / Female | Under Age of 18 |
| 03/15 to 03/21 | 7 | |||
| 03/22 to 03/28 | 20 | |||
| 03/29 to 04/04 | 28 | |||
| 04/05 to 04/11 | 90 | 44 years old | 42 male, 58 female | 1 |
| 04/12 to 04/18 | 64 | |||
| 04/19 to 04/25 | 80 | |||
| 04/26 to 05/02 | 65 | |||
| 05/03 to 05/09 | 27 | |||
| 05/10 to 05/16 | 24 | |||
| 05/17 to 05/23 | 15 | |||
| 05/24 to 05/30 | 10 | 45 years old | 4 male, 6 female | 1 |
| 05/31 to 06/06 | 3 | 44 years old | 2 male, 1 female | 0 |
| 06/07 to 06/13 | 11 | 32 years old | 5 male, 6 female | 3 |
| 06/14 to 06/20 | 4 | 51 years old | 2 male, 2 female | 0 |
| 06/21 to 06/27 | 6 | 58 years old | 3 male, 3 female | 0 |
| 06/28 to 07/04 | 7 | 52 years old | 4 male, 3 female | 2 |
| 07/05 to 07/11 | 5 | 41 years old | 3 male, 2 female | 0 |
| 07/12 to 07/18 | 4 | 22 years old | 2 male, 2 female | 0 |
| 07/19 to 07/25 | 4 | 36 years old | 1 male, 3 female | 1 |
| 07/26 to 08/01 | 9 | 40 years old | 3 male, 4 female | 1 |
| 08/02 to 08/08 | 4 | 33 years old | 3 male, 1 female | 0 |
| 08/09 to 08/15 | 7 | 43 years old | 4 male, 3 female | 0 |
| 08/16 to 08/22 | 9 | 25 years old | 7 male, 2 female | 0 |
| 08/23 to 08/29 | 3 | 28 years old | 1 male, 2 female | 0 |
| 08/30 to 09/05 | 6 | 41 years old | 5 male, 1 female | 0 |
| 09/06 to 09/12 | 17 | 34 years old | 8 male, 9 female | 1 |
| 09/13 to 09/19 | 6 | 40 years old | 3 male, 3 female | 0 |
| 09/20 to 09/26 | 5 | 45 years old | 1 male, 4 female | 0 |
| 09/27 to 10/03 | 19 | 34 years old | 11 male, 8 female | 2 |
| 10/04 to 10/10 | 11 | 22 years old | 8 male, 3 female | 3 |
| 10/11 to 10/17 | 2 | 37 years old | 1 male, 1 female | 0 |
| 10/18 to 10/24 | 24 | 36 years old | 11 male, 13 female | 6 |
Middlesex County has been operating both drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing sites. Those wishing to be tested will be required to make an appointment online and meet a set of criteria. More information (including the link to make an appointment) can be found at www.middlesexcountynj.gov/Government/Departments/PSH/Pages/COVID-19–Testing.aspxn
If the resident does not have access to the internet or is having connectivity problems, they may call 732-745-3100 to make an appointment beginning at 10 a.m. on registration days. Appointments will only be made on registration days, which are also listed online. Call-in registrations will not be accepted on Sundays.