EDISON – Edison officials reported 24 new positive cases of COVID-19 on April 29, bringing the total number of cases to 1,287, according to the Edison Office of Emergency Management.
The age range of the cases are 16 to 94, officials said. The township has lost 61 residents to COVID-19, according to Middlesex County.
Mayor Thomas Lankey announced Edison parks will reopen on May 2 following Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement to reopen parks across the state on April 29. The mayor had closed all 31 municipal parks, Dismal Swamp and the municipal boat basin on April 8 after the governor’s initial directive to close state and county parks.
Under the state’s new directive, playgrounds, restrooms, pavilions, and visitor centers will remain closed and picnics and team sports will still not be allowed. However, “passive recreation” will be allowed including running, hiking, biking, fishing, boating, kayaking, and horseback riding.
The Metuchen-Edison Community Dog Park on Whitman Avenue and the Edison Boat Basin and River Walk on Meadow Road will also reopen.
“From the beginning of this unprecedented situation we have followed the direction of our state and county leaders and listened to the advice of medical experts,” said Lankey. “The decision to reopen parks across the state is an important first step in trying to regain a sense of normalcy in our communities and we will follow the lead of the governor and state medical experts and reopen our parks in Edison as well.”
Lankey said officials first made the decision to “close our parks almost a month ago to try and combat the strain being placed on our critical infrastructures.”
“Our parks were dangerously overcrowded with visitors who were not observing social distancing rules and the resulting strain on our first responders and our healthcare professionals had reached a tipping point,” he said. “As we reopen our parks, it is critical for our residents to continue to be mindful of social distancing rules as we fight this horrible virus. Our residents have been exceptional while dealing with this terrible situation and I look forward to their continued cooperation as we all work together to keep our friends and neighbors safe.”
Edison Township was not provided any other information regarding the new cases.
For Middlesex County information visit discovermiddlesex.com/covid19/ or www.middlsexcountynj.gov/covid19.
For more information, call New Jersey Health Center 1-800-222-1222.