Ocean County's COVID-19 Cases: See Town-By-Town Updates

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — As Ocean County reaches the milestone of a year since the first coronavirus case was identified in the county, there are signs the county is seeing an improvement in the spread of the virus.

Ocean County has recorded 52,660 cases of the coronavirus through Friday, according to the Ocean County Health Department. That is an increase of 1,559 cases from Feb. 26, when the county reported 51,111.

The rate of increase has slowed over the last month, which is reflected in the latest reports from the White House and from the state. The weekly State Profile Report from the White House and other federal agencies showed Ocean County was no longer in the red zone for COVID-19 risk, an improvement from Feb. 14 when it was still in the red zone.

The state's weekly COVID-19 Activity Level report shows Ocean County in the orange zone, which is classified as high, based on data from the week ending Feb. 27.

Ocean County is in New Jersey's Central East region. Its case rate rose for the week ending Feb. 27, going from 28.54 to 31.53 per 100,000 people. The case rate falls into the "very high" zone. But other metrics continue to decrease for the region. The percentage of COVID-like illnesses flickered up slightly to 5.25 this week from 5.20 last week. But the percent positivity fell again, from 8.23 last week to 8.09 this week.

thMost of Ocean County's school districts are moving toward four days of in-person instruction as the data shows improvement. State officials also are reducing other coronavirus restrictions, with Gov. Phil Murphy announcing Feb. 22 that houses of worship could expand from 35 to 50 percent capacity. Murphy also suggested Feb. 25 that indoor-dining capacity will increase to 50 percent "sooner than later."

The cumulative town-by-town totals as of March 5 are below. The number in parentheses shows the number of cases from the week before.

In addition to the town by town numbers, the Ocean County Health Department has provided a breakdown by age group of both coronavirus cases and deaths from complications of the virus.

Of the 52,660 cases through March 5, there have been 7,525 (14.29 percent) among children 18 and younger; 20,865 cases (39.62 percent) among those 19 to 44; 13,977 (26.54 percent) among those ages 45 to 64; 4,776 (9.07 percent) among those 65 to 74; 3,252 cases (6.18 percent) in the 75 to 84 age group, and 2,122 (4.03 percent) were 85 or older.

Ocean County has had 1,757 residents who have died of complications from the coronavirus. There have been no deaths in those 18 and under; there were 31 people age 19 to 44; 219 age 45 to 64; 317 age 65 to 74; 548 age 75 to 84, and 642 people who were 85 or older have died, according to the county health department. The youngest person from Ocean County who died was 20 years old, and the oldest was 103.

The health department's data does not include a breakdown of how many people who died had underlying conditions other than to say that heart disease was a significant contributing factor.

On the town by town numbers, if the town shows a decrease this week, it reflects a correction based on the person's actual address as opposed to the mailing address.

• Barnegat Light 29 (27)
• Barnegat Township 1,560 (1,510)
• Bay Head 60 (60)
• Beach Haven 52 (47)
• Beachwood 870 (851)
• Berkeley Township 3,378 (3,303)
• Brick Township 6,789 (6,557)
• Eagleswood Township 120 (119)
• Harvey Cedars 15 (14)
• Island Heights 104 (96)
• Jackson Township 4,766 (4,627)
• Lacey Township 2,067 (1,994)
• Lakehurst 233 (220)
• Lakewood Township 12,640 (12,324)
• Lavallette 139 (132)
• Little Egg Harbor Township 1,301 (1,261)
• Long Beach Township 155 (150)
• Manchester Township 3,387 (3,282)
• Mantoloking 13 (13)
• Ocean Gate 131 (131)
• Ocean Township (Waretown) 452 (429)
• Pine Beach 132 (125)
• Plumsted Township 482 (465)
• Point Pleasant Beach 345 (332)
• Point Pleasant 1,821 (1,772)
• Seaside Heights 208 (202)
• Seaside Park 83 (81)
• Ship Bottom 85 (78)
• South Toms River 298 (289)
• Stafford Township 1,998 (1,939)
• Surf City 50 (48)
• Toms River 8,596 (8,370)
• Tuckerton 189 (186)

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