Fatalities Up In Butler, Bloomingdale, Kinnelon Amid Pandemic

NORTH JERSEY, NJ – The state Department of Health has town-by-town fatality data, citing a sizable increase deaths in most New Jersey communities as the coronavirus outbreak hit the Garden State hard in March through August.

The data is for deaths regardless of the cause, but Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said they do show that the coronavirus definitely had a big impact on the overall numbers. As the state continues to reveal new cases, she said, the outbreak will continue to have an impact and warrant the need to urge continued precautions.

"As tired as we all are from battling the pandemic, we have to continue to take precautions," she said. "It's going to take time and perseverance."

Indeed, the data shows the average number of overall deaths from March through August in 2018 and 2019 and compared it to the same time period for 2020.

Kinnelon Borough showed a 36.84 percent increase in fatalities while Butler Borough jumped 44 percent. Bloomingdale Borough registered a 67.09 percent spike.

Statewide, the number of overall deaths increased by 42.9 percent.

Exactly how many of those are coronavirus-related has not been confirmed yet.
The number of people who died in New Jersey from March through August 2020 was 52,324, compared to 36,336 in 2019 and 36,899 in 2018.

The DOH released the numbers after both Gov. Phil Murphy and Persichilli said they believe in transparency and promised to release more specific data that showed how the virus has more directed impacted New Jersey residents.

Murphy said the public needs to understand that the numbers may remain high for the foreseeable future if the state's upward trend of daily coronavirus cases continues, and if there is a second wave of the virus.

"The memories and the pain felt by those left behind should be what spurs us to fight against this pandemic," Murphy said. "We are not out of the woods yet."

Indeed, New Jersey's coronavirus data reporting has been, at times, chaotic.

Most counties release specific coronavirus case and fatality data, but others do not. Many towns also release their own data, but it often conflicts with what's released by county health departments.

The data also shows that the state's most likely hotspots – such as Bergen County, which suffered the worst effects of the outbreak initially – were not necessarily the most severely impacted over the duration of the crisis.

You can see the full report in our previous coverage.

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