SEVERAL FARM WORKERS TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
By Cindy Merckx, Sentinel of Gloucester County Editor – Published Print Edition Week of 5/21/2020
Last week, news reports from neighboring Salem County arose about an outbreak of over fifty positive Covid-19 cases connected to farm workers in Upper Pittsgrove Township. All were males in the ages of 20’s, 30’s and 40’s.
Efforts have been made recently by County Health Departments to test farm workers that are symptomatic in Gloucester, Salem and Atlantic County. The new coronavirus Covid-19 is a respiratory virus that can spread through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Farm workers live in close quarters and there are poor sanitary conditions which can become hot spots for rural communities.
Over the past weekend the Gloucester County Health Department reported over fifty cases of young males in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s with positive Covid-19 results located in South Harrison Township. The Health Department is providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to farmers to provide to their seasonal workers.
Mayor Joseph Marino of South Harrison Township responded to our requests for comment in an email about the increased number of cases in his Township to say that, “The recent spike in positive cases in our Township was due to a large farm voluntarily offering testing to its employees. At the time of testing, all employees were asymptomatic and to my knowledge all are doing well. This is in no way a reflection of our resident’s discipline and perseverance through the stay in place order,” said Mayor Marino.
“It is an isolated case and being monitored closely by the farm in conjunction with health officials. The testing was prompted by an initiative from the State offering free testing for all essential farm workers. This farm was being proactive and took advantage of the opportunity for the health and well being of its employees,” Mayor Marino said.
As of Monday, May 18 th Gloucester County Department of Health and Human Services has reported a total of 1,905 confirmed positive cases of Covid-19 in Gloucester County and 118 associated deaths deaths from Covid-19.
The County Health Department keeps the daily statistics for each town in the County. As of (5/18) they are: Clayton 55 cases, 0 deaths; Deptford 453 cases, 56 deaths; E. Greenwich 45 cases, 1 death; Elk Twp. 29 cases, 0 deaths; Franklin Twp 66 cases, 0 deaths; Glassboro 97 cases, 3 deaths; Greenwich 20 cases, 1 death; Harrison Twp. 47 cases, 0 deaths; Logan Twp. 31 cases, 1 death; Monroe Twp. 217 cases, 6 deaths; National Park 13 cases, 2 deaths; Newfield Borough 2 cases, 0 deaths; Paulsboro 45 cases, 2 deaths; Pitman 33 cases, 1 death; South Harrison Twp. 77 cases, 0 deaths; Swedesboro 29 cases, 1 death; Washington Twp. 253 cases, 22 deaths; Wenonah 12 cases, 1 death,; West Deptford 117 cases, 12 deaths; Westville 32 cases, 1 death; Woodbury City 71 cases, 4 deaths; Woodbury Heights 15 cases, 1 death; Woolwich Twp 76 cases, 2 deaths.