MONROE – Monroe officials reported 135 new COVID-19 cases over a seven-day period, which brings the total number of cases to 1,944, according to the Monroe Township Office of Emergency Management.
The seven-day period was from Dec. 17-23. The new cases community-wide include a 3-month-old male, a 2-year-old male, a 3-year-old male, a 6-year-old female, a 6-year-old male, two 11-year-old females, a 12-year-old female, a 12-year-old male, a 13-year-old male, a 14-year-old male, a 15-year-old male, a 16-year-old female, a 17-year-old female, a 17-year-old male, an 18-year-old female, three 19-year-old males, a 20-year-old female, two 20-year-old males, two 21-year-old females, two 21-year-old males, four 22-year-old females, a 22-year-old male, two 23-year-old males, a 24-year-old male, a 25-year-old female, a 26-year-old male, two 28-year-old females, a 28-year-old male, a 29-year-old male, a 31-year-old female, two 31-year-old male, a 33-year-old female, two 33-year-old males, a 34-year-old female, a 34-year-old male, a 35-year-old female, two 36-year-old males, two 37-year-old females, a 37-year-old male, a 38-year-old females, a 39-year-old female, a 39-year-old male, three 40-year-old males, two 41-year-old females, a 42-year-old male, three 43-year-old females, two 43-year-old males, three 44-year-old males, a 45-year-old male, two 46-year-old females, a 46-year-old male, two 48-year-old females, four 48-year-old males, three 49-year-old females, a 51-year-old female, a 52-year-old male, two 54-year-old females, two 54-year-old males, two 55-year-old females, two 56-year-old females, a 56-year-old male, three 57-year-old females, two 58-year-old females, a 58-year-old male, two 59-year-old male, two 60-year-old males, a 61-year-old female, a 63-year-old male, two 64-year-old males, a 65-year-old female, two 67-year-old females, two 69-year-old females, a 69-year-old male, a 72-year-old male, a 73-year-old male, a 75-year-old female, a 77-year-old female, two 78-year-old females, two 78-year-old males, a 79-year-old male, an 80-year-old female, two 82-year-old females, an 82-year-old male, a 87-year-old female, an 87-year-old male, a 93-year-old male and two 94-year-old males.
Two new cases – a 14-year-old male and a 21-year-old male – were reported from the New Jersey Training School for Boys, which bring the total number of cases to 64.
The township has lost 136 residents to COVID-19, 87 in long-term care facilities and 49 community-wide.
Sixty-two additional positive cases were reported community-wide from June through November.
The Monroe Library is temporarily closed to the public. Phones are staffed and librarians are available to answer reference questions and place books on hold. Curbside pickup service has resumed by appointment at the drive-thru window. Book drops are open at the library’s drive-thru window and senior center.
The library has a line-up of virtual programs for children and teens from introduction to Roblox Game Development to Disney Trivia in December. For more information visit www.monroetwplibrary.org/virtual-programs or call 732-521-5000 ext. 116.
On Sept. 8, the library’s bookmobile went back on the road making contactless deliveries. Requests, which will be limited to 10 items, must be made in advance via email at [email protected]. For more information visit www.monroetwplibrary.org or call the bookmobile office at 732-521-5000 ext. 126.
The township has resumed medical transportation for seniors and people with disabilities. With retrofitted buses and social distancing in place, medical transportation is available Monday through Friday for township seniors and people with disabilities. To make a reservation call 609-443-0511 between 1-4:15 p.m. Buses are regularly cleaned and masks are required for all riders. Temperature checks will be conducted for all passengers prior to boarding the bus.
Playgrounds in the township reopened on July 10.
The Monroe Township Food Pantry provides assistance for residents, families in need. For more information contact Karen Theer at 609-448-7140. Another resource is the Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Services (MCFOODS) Directory, which directs people to an agency in their area that can provide them with emergency food assistance as well as Jewish Family Services. For more information and MCFOODS email [email protected] or call 732-729-0880 and for Jewish Family Services call 609-395-7979.
Donations to the food pantry can be mailed to Office of Senior Services, 12 Halsey Reed Road, Monroe Township, NJ 08831, Re: Food Pantry. Checks should be made payable to “Friends of the Senior Center” with “Food Bank” written in the memo line of the check.
The Monroe Township Public Library is a drop off site for MCFOODS. A collection cart has been placed in the library’s temporary entrance in the Library Meeting Room. MCFOODS serves more than 140 local food pantries, soup kitchens and social service agencies each week.
The township Recycling Center hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. For more information contact the township Department of Public Works (DPW) at 732-656-4575.
Antibody testing is now available along with COVID-19 testing at MyInstaDoc, 298 Applegarth Road for anyone wishing to be tested. The facility will serve pre-registered COVID-19 testing patients from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Antibody blood testing will be conducted in-office by appointment. To be considered, a patient must be free from all COVID-19 symptoms for no less than 14 days. This test will assess them for subclinical infection in the past.
The COVID-19 drive-thru testing site serves pre-registered patients from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and drive-up patients from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays. Pre-register at www.myinstadocmonroe.com or call 609-207-3220 to speak with a medical professional. A person does not have to be symptomatic to be tested.
COVID-19 testing is also available at Hackensack Meridian Urgent Care in Monroe at 215 Applegarth Road. The facility is offering antibody blood testing and COVID-19 nasal swab testing walk-in or by appointment from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekend. For more information call 732-263-7922 to schedule an appointment.
For more information visit www.COVID19.nj.gov.
For Middlesex County information on COVID-19 information visit discovermiddlesex.com/covid19/ or www.middlesexcountynj.gov/