Essex County Weekly COVID Cases Up 3.7 Percent: See Town Updates

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The coronavirus continues to take a heavy toll on Essex County, impacting local businesses and schools in the region, according to updated state data (see town-by-town totals below).

As of Friday, Essex County led the entire state in cumulative deaths linked to COVID-19 with 2,328 confirmed fatalities, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.

READ MORE: More COVID Vaccine Sites In Essex County (How To Get A Shot)

Essex County reported 63,352 cumulative cases of the virus on Feb. 12, an increase of 2,268 and 3.71 percent over the previous week.

The case rise is reflected in the state Department of Health's most recent "COVID-19 Activity Level Report," which is issued weekly. The most recent report, released Thursday, says Essex County is still in the “red zone” for coronavirus cases.

The "red zone" means the daily new COVID-19 virus case rate, per 100,000 people, is "very high" currently in 14 counties. That means they exceed 25 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day average. The "orange" zone means they have a rate of 10 to 25 cases per 100,000 people.

The latest reports say the overall coronavirus activity level is either "moderate," or "yellow," or "high," or "orange," in all New Jersey counties.

If the overall activity is at a "high" level, state officials said, school districts in those counties may have to take more serious steps — such as quarantining or even shutting down schools — if a child shows the symptoms of COVID-19.

"When it is high risk, there are some recommendations that we make together with local school boards," said Edward Lifshitz, medical director for the state Department of Health.

Indeed, a number of school districts have shifted to remote instruction as the numbers have risen.

The overall coronavirus risk rose to "high" in each of the counties because:

• The new daily case rate in each of the counties rose to 10 or more per 100,000 people.
• The percent of COVID-19-like illnesses rose above 5.52 in each of the counties.
• The percent of positive cases rose above 10.01.

Essex County officials released cumulative COVID-19 totals for each town and city on Jan. 29, noting that their daily 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 – 4,107 cases, 96 deaths (population: 36,497)
• Bloomfield – 3,910 cases, 96 deaths (population: 49,973)
• Caldwell – 425 cases, 14 deaths (population: 7,941)
• Cedar Grove – 1,189 cases, 119 deaths (population: 12,489)
• East Orange – 5,077 cases, 265 deaths (population: 64,367)
• Essex Fells – 141 cases, 2 deaths (population: 2,085)
• Fairfield – 617 cases, 26 deaths (population: 7,474)
• Glen Ridge – 252 cases, 11 deaths (population: 7,574)
• Irvington – 3,318 cases, 198 deaths (population: 54,312)
• Livingston – 1,362 cases, 81 deaths (population: 30,303)
• Maplewood – 885 cases, 31 deaths (population: 25,380)
• Millburn – 635 cases, 8 deaths (population: 20,080)
• Montclair – 1,597 cases, 63 deaths (population: 38,564)
• Newark – 28,929 cases, 844 deaths (population: 282,011)
• North Caldwell – 321 cases, 6 deaths (population: 6,621)
• Nutley – 2,102 cases, 51 deaths (population: 28,434)
• Orange – 2,565 cases, 118 deaths (population: 30,551)
• Roseland – 375 cases, 15 deaths (population: 5,835)
• South Orange – 555 cases, 11 deaths (population: 16,691)
• Verona – 692 cases, 16 deaths (population: 13,390)
• West Caldwell – 791 cases, 50 deaths (population: 10,837)
• West Orange – 3,507 cases, 215 deaths (population: 47,563)

This article contains reporting by Tom Davis, Patch staff

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