MONROE – Monroe officials reported the single highest number of new COVID-19 in a week since March.
The township reported 146 new COVID-19 cases over seven-day period, which brings the total number of cases to 1,596, according to the Monroe Township Office of Emergency Management on Dec. 10.
The last time the township reported a three digit number of new cases was from April 24-30, which saw 114 cases.
The seven-day period was from Dec. 3-9. The new cases community-wide include a 4-month-old male, a 2-year-old male, a 5-year-old female, a 6-year-old male, an 8-year-old female, an 8-year-old male, a 9-year-old female, two 9-year-old males, a 10-year-old female, three 11-year-old males, two 13-year-old females, a 15-year-old male, a 16-year-old male, four 17-year-old females, three 17-year-old males, three 18-year-old males, three 19-year-old females, two 19-year-old males, a 20-year-old male, a 21-year-old female, a 21-year-old male, two 22-year-old females, a 22-year-old male, a 24-year-old male, two 25-year-old males, a 26-year-old female, two 27-year-old females, a 30-year-old female, a 32-year-old female, two 32-year-old males, two 34-year-old females, a 34-year-old male, a 35-year-old male, a 36-year-old female, a 37-year-old male, a 38-year-old male, two 39-year-old females, a 39-year-old male, four 40-year-old females, a 41-year-old female, two 41-year-old males, two 43-year-old males, a 44-year-old female, two 45-year-old males, two 46-year-old males, two 46-year-old females, three 47-year-old females, a 48-year-old female, four 48-year-old males, four 49-year-old males, three 50-year-old females, a 51-year-old female, a 51-year-old male, two 52-year-old females, four 53-year-old females, two 53-year-old males, a 54-year-old female, three 54-year-old males, a 55-year-old male, a 56-year-old male, two 57-year-old females, a 58-year-old female, a 58-year-old male, a 59-year-old female, three 59-year-old males, two 60-year-old females, a 60-year-old male, a 61-year-old female, a 61-year-old male, a 62-year-old female, a 63-year-old female, a 63-year-old male, a 64-year-old female, two 68-year-old males, a 68-year-old female, two 70-year-old males, two 71-year-old males, four 72-year-old males, two 73-year-old females, a 74-year-old female, a 74-year-old male, two 76-year-old females, a 77-year-old female, a 77-year-old male, two 79-year-old males, an 82-year-old males, an 88-year-old female and a 92-year-old female.
Two new cases were reported at long-term care facilities, which include a 78-year-old female and a 91-year-old male.
A total of 59 cases are reported at the New Jersey Training School for Boys, which bring the total number of cases to 59.
The township has lost two more residents to COVID-19, which brings the total number of residents lost to 133, 87 in long-term care facilities and 46 community-wide.
Twenty-eight additional positive cases were reported community-wide from June through November.
Mayor Gerald Tamburro urged residents to not give up.
“I understand the overwhelming fatigue placed on all of us over the past nine months,” he said. “I feel it too. But we cannot give up. It is more important than ever to avoid indoor gatherings and close interaction with anyone outside of our immediate households.”
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 bookmobile@monroetwplibrary.org. 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 ja@mciauth.com 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/
