COVID-19 death count in Mercer County rises to 3, reports of it at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital
TRENTON » At least two of New Jersey’s 91 overnight deaths were Mercer County residents.
It was the state’s highest single-day total since the coronavirus outbreak hit the Garden State, bringing the death count to 355.
Gov. Phil Murphy reported another 3,645 positive results at Wednesday’s briefing, pushing the statewide coronavirus cases to 22,255.
“We’re in the fight of our lives,” Murphy said. “We have lost at least 355 people of valor, up and down our state, young and old, people of all backgrounds. We have to stay at home before this hits home.”
Three deaths have been removed from the state’s count pending further investigation on the cause of death, Murphy said.
Additional details weren’t immediately provided about the new deaths.
Mercer County has 333 cases, including three deaths. One of those who perished was a 63-year-old Trenton woman who had underlying health conditions and lived at Atrium Post Acute Care of Princeton in Plainsboro.
Hamilton official identified one of the fatalities as a 63-year-old township man. The township did not identify the man further and said no more details would be released.
“We all knew that this day would ultimately arrive in Hamilton Township, but it does not make the news any easier to digest and announce,” Mayor Jeff Martin said in a statement.
County officials did not know where the third victim lived.
Hamilton was reporting 56 known COVID-19 cases, according to the township website.
West Windsor had at least 35 cases (nine who have recovered), Princeton 30 — two who are hospitalized — and Lawrence 15. Princeton said 12 people were out of isolation after recovering from the virus.
Trenton reported 61 cases as of Wednesday. Trenton Police director Sheilah Coley tested positive for COVID-19 this week, leading the command staff to be quarantined. Two other city cops have tested positive, officials said.
Yoshi Manale, Mayor
Reed Gusciora’s chief of staff, has been self-quarantined and working from home in New York the past few weeks after experiencing mild symptoms of the disease.
He hasn’t been tested to confirm whether he’s infected with coronavirus.
Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann became the first Mercer County mayor infected with the disease.
The Trentonian received reports of a handful of positive cases of coronavirus in patients and staff at the state-run 450-bed Trenton Psychiatric Hospital.
Health commissioner Judy Persichilli said all four of the state’s psychiatric hospitals have at least one confirmed case of COVID-19.
She confirmed during Wednesday’s briefing at least three patients and three staff members at Trenton Psychiatric tested positive for COVID-19.
Officials were continuing to conduct surveillance and disinfect the facilities.
Two staffers described the situation at the psychiatric hospital as precarious. They said staffers aren’t being equipped with personal protective gear.
At least one patient at Ann Klein Forensic Center was hospitalized after testing positive for the virus, state officials acknowledged.