East Orange, NJ, March 17, 2020: While we have no East Orange residents who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, we are aware that there have been reports of a positive case confirmed at East Orange General Hospital.

In that instance, a Newark resident who was exhibiting symptoms of the Coronavirus received testing and was sent home to self-quarantine and await the test results. The results of the COVID-19 test ultimately came back positive, and as per protocol, the jurisdiction of the resident was notified by the hospital. However, it took several days for health and public safety officials to properly identify and convey the results to the patient due to the provision of inaccurate information. The patient is not at large.

We understand the apprehension that this pandemic has caused and we want to assure you that, as a municipality, it is our goal to be transparent and informative related to this unprecedented public health crisis. Reducing exposure to the Coronavirus is our top priority.To that end, we are committed to working closely with our local and neighboring health agencies and governments to slow the spread of this virus and protect the welfare of the people in our communities. 

Please continue to take the necessary precautions by following the direction of state and local health officials. Stay updated on East Orange’s response to COVID-19 by following our website at wwww.eastorange-nj.gov. For more detailed information, visit www.nj.gov/health or www.cdc.gov.

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