Coronavirus Cases Rising In Manchester: December Numbers

MANCHESTER, NJ — Manchester school district officials are crossing their fingers and hoping district staff and families are limiting gatherings and travel over winter break in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Superintendent David Trethaway urged caution as winter break from school got underway last week as cases of the virus continue to rise throughout the state, and in Ocean County and in Manchester. Read more: Rising Cases Could Push Manchester Schools Remote: Superintendent

Ridgeway Elementary School was on remote instruction for a week following Thansgiving, and officials are hoping to avoid a repeat. Read more: Manchester's Ridgeway Elementary To Stay Remote Into December

As of Sunday, there have been more than 461,000 cases of the coronavirus in New Jersey since March, including 2,329 new ones reported Sunday, according to the state Department of Health COVID-19 website. As of Saturday, 3,469 people were hospitalized due to the coronavirus, with 686 in intensive care and 487 patients on ventilators, according to the state COVID-19 website.

Ocean County remains in the orange "high risk" category due to the rates of transmission of the coronavirus. As of Sunday, Ocean County had 30,892 cases, up 2,415 from 28,477 on Dec. 20. Manchester has 140 new cases in that time, with 2,037, up from 1,897 on Dec. 20, according to the Ocean County Health Department.

Since Nov. 29, Ocean County has added more than 9,100 cases, rising from 21,771 as of Nov. 29, and Manchester has 661 new cases in that time, up from 1,376. Deaths in Manchester have risen to 211 from 176, and to 1,235 from 1,057 in the county in that time.

Read on for other headlines in Manchester in December:

• Manchester Named Top Place To Retire In NJ By Forbes
• Manchester Council Approves $625K For First Aid Building
• 11 People At 3 Manchester Schools Positive For Coronavirus
• Manchester Couple's Baby Released, But Ordeal In NC Isn't Over
• Missing Man's Dog Helps Off-Duty Officer Locate Him In Woods
• Manchester Man Charged With Aggravated Assault, DUI In Crash
• Heritage Minerals Lake ATV Crash Kills Man, 62: Officials
• Lakehurst Police Seize 190 Heroin Doses During Motor Vehicle Stop
• Manchester's Kevin's Kids Still Bringing Holiday Joy

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