COVID-19 Outbreak In West Essex Area, Officials Warn (UPDATED)

CALDWELLS, NJ — Multiple towns in the West Essex area canceled recreation activities, and one issued a warning about an "outbreak" of the coronavirus on Friday.

North Caldwell officials canceled all local recreation activities and issued a warning about a COVID-19 outbreak in the West Essex community on Friday.

The North Caldwell Police Department issued the following health alert at 4:26 p.m.:

“Due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the West Essex Community, effective immediately, all recreation activities, programs, recreation and travel teams, organizations, games, practices and field rentals in North Caldwell have been postponed through Oct. 18, 2020. This precaution has been directed by the local health department to minimize community spread of COVID-19 in the West Essex area while thorough contact tracing is performed. The Liberty field complex including the walking path will remain closed during this time. As always, please continue to practice social distancing, wear face coverings and maintain personal hygiene.”

The Township of Fairfield also announced plans to close local recreation facilities on Friday. Officials stated:

"Due to COVID-19 concerns, the Hollywood Park Turf Field and the Wallboard Court will be closeed until Sunday, Oct. 18. Recreation and travel sports will also be postponed until Oct. 18. Thank you for your cooperation."

West Caldwell Mayor Joe Tempesta offered a coronavirus-related announcement on Friday. Tempesta wrote:

"Please be advised the West Caldwell Health Department has informed us, as of today, Friday Oct. 9, we currently have 11 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in West Caldwell’s general population since last week. As I mentioned over the last several weeks, the state of NJ is finally beginning to update, correct, and adjust reported COVID-19 case numbers going all the way back to the beginning of the pandemic. Of the 11 new confirmed cases, five individuals are home quarantining and recovering. The other six individuals have already recovered. Since the beginning of the pandemic we have had a total of 163 cases, of which, we had eight citizens pass away in our general population. Thankfully we have had 158 cases closed whereby those citizens are recovered and are no longer quarantined."

"In our two skilled nursing facilities combined we have no current COVID-19 cases in Crane’s Mill and Hackensack Meridian Health WC Care Center, and that has been steady now for six consecutive weeks," Tempesta said. "Tragically though since the beginning of the pandemic we have had 44 deaths in those facilities."

Tempesta continued:

"We are thankful the community is being diligent in social distancing and the wearing of masks particularly when you cant’ social distance. We encourage all of you to continue this practice for the foreseeable future. We also want to remind parents particularly parents with young student adults at home or returning home from College, please make sure they social distance and wear a mask whenever possible. Local house parties tend to be an incubator for the Covid-19 virus and we are simply trying to remind all of you to be careful. I ask all of you to be mindful that throughout the State and getting closer to home Covid cases are on the rise. We’ve come a long way as a community and let’s try and keep it that way. Please wear a mask whenever possible. I also ask that you continue to join me in thanking all our first responders and teachers. I also thank you for continuing to patronize our restaurants and retail stores."

Essex County officials provided the following breakdown of cumulative cases and deaths linked to the disease on Friday, noting that its report may not match state or municipal totals (here's why). Patch has included the U.S. Census' most recent population estimates for each municipality.

• Belleville – 1,183 cases, 67 deaths (population: 36,497)
• Bloomfield – 1,267 cases, 69 deaths (population: 49,973)
• Caldwell – 140 cases, 11 deaths (population: 7,941)
• Cedar Grove – 505 cases, 113 deaths (population: 12,489)
• East Orange – 2,131 cases, 230 deaths (population: 64,367)
• Essex Fells – 35 cases, 2 deaths (population: 2,085)
• Fairfield – 179 cases, 17 deaths (population: 7,474)
• Glen Ridge – 53 cases, 9 deaths (population: 7,574)
• Irvington – 1,612 cases, 162 deaths (population: 54,312)
• Livingston – 574 cases, 69 deaths (population: 30,303)
• Maplewood – 376 cases, 27 deaths (population: 25,380)
• Millburn – 185 cases, 6 deaths (population: 20,080)
• Montclair – 536 cases, 52 deaths (population: 38,564)
• Newark – 8,918 cases, 667 deaths (population: 282,011)
• North Caldwell – 66 cases, 4 deaths (population: 6,621)
• Nutley – 593 cases, 37 deaths (population: 28,434)
• Orange – 1,124 cases, 92 deaths (population: 30,551)
• Roseland – 102 cases, 14 deaths (population: 5,835)
• South Orange – 134 cases, 5 deaths (population: 16,691)
• Verona – 170 cases, 14 deaths (population: 13,390)
• West Caldwell – 314 cases, 48 deaths (population: 10,837)
• West Orange – 1,406 cases, 186 deaths (population: 47,563)

• See related article: Essex County Still Leads NJ In COVID Deaths (See Totals By Town)

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