MONROE – Monroe officials reported 184 new COVID-19 cases over a seven-day period, which brings the total number of cases to 2,542, according to the Monroe Township Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
The seven-day period was from Jan. 7-13. The new cases community-wide includes two 3-year-old females, a 4-year-old female, a 6-year-old female, a 7-year-old male, an 8-year-old female, a 10-year-old female, three 10-year-old males, an 11-year-old female, three 11-year-old males, a 12-year-old female, two 13-year-old males, a 14-year-old female, a 14-year-old male, six 15-year-old females, a 16-year-old male, a 17-year-old female, two 17-year-old males, an 18-year-old female, two 18-year-old males, two 19-year-old females, two 20-year-old females, a 20-year-old male, a 21-year-old female, a 21-year-old male, a 22-year-old female, three 22-year-old males, two 23-year-old females, four 23-year-old males, a 25-year-old female, two 27-year-old males, a 28-year-old female, two 29-year-old males, a 31-year-old female, a 32-year-old male, a 33-year-old female, a 36-year-old female, three 36-year-old males, a 37-year-old females, a 38-year-old female, a 39-year-old female, a 39-year-old male, two 40-year-old females, a 40-year-old male, two 42-year-old females, four 43-year-old females, a 43-year-old male, five 44-year-old females, two 45-year-old males, two 46-year-old males, two 47-year-old females, three 47-year-old males, a 48-year-old female, a 48-year-old male, two 49-year-old females, three 49-year-old males, a 50-year-old female, six 50-year-old males, a 51-year-old female, two 51-year-old males, a 52-year-old females, a 52-year-old male, a 53-year-old male, two 54-year-old females, three 55-year-old males, three 56-year-old females, a 56-year-old male, a 57-year-old female, three 57-year-old males, a 58-year-old female, a 58-year-old male, a 59-year-old female, a 59-year-old male, three 60-year-old females, four 60-year-old males, two 62-year-old females, a 63-year-old female, a 63-year-old male, a 64-year-old female, a 64-year-old male, a 65-year-old female, two 65-year-old males, a 66-year-old female, a 67-year-old female, a 68-year-old male, a 69-year-old female, a 69-year-old male, a 70-year-old female, a 71-year-old female, a 72-year-old female, three 73-year-old females, three 74-year-old females, a 74-year-old male, a 75-year-old female, three 75-year-old males, a 76-year-old female, two 76-year-old males, a 77-year-old male, a 78-year-old female, two 78-year-old males, two 79-year-old females, three 80-year-old males, an 81-year-old male, two 84-year-old females, an 85-year-old female, an 87-year-old male, an 88-year-old male, an 89-year-old male, a 90-year-old male and a 93-year-old female.
The new cases also included another female with unknown age.
There are a total of 67 cases reported from the New Jersey Training School for Boys.
The township has lost four more residents from COVID-19, which bring the total number of residents lost to 143, 87 in long-term care facilities and 60 community-wide.
Sixty-eight additional positive cases were reported community-wide from July through December.
Township OEM officials received word on Jan. 14 the Senior Center has been designated as one of five future regional vaccination centers operating through the Middlesex County Board of Health. The site is not yet open. The county cannot open this location for vaccinations until vaccine shots are allocated to the site. Township officials are allocating all necessary resources so the site can open as soon as vaccines become available. Information will be shared as it is received.
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.
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 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/