Paterson records highest number of daily Covid-19 cases since pandemic began | Paterson Times Paterson Times

Paterson records highest number of daily Covid-19 cases since pandemic began

By Jayed Rahman
Published: November 21, 2020

covid-19

Daily new coronavirus cases have been surging in Paterson over the past month. On Friday, municipal officials reported 278 new cases, highest daily figure since the pandemic began.

Previous record was set on April 16 with 262 cases, according to records. 355 residents have died from Covid-19 in Paterson since the pandemic began.

“At this time the Paterson Division of Health has deployed all resources towards case investigations, contact tracing and testing. Today we have been overwhelmed with this deluge of COVID-19 cases as we eclipsed our previous highest case count,” said health officer Paul Persaud on Friday.

Paterson is much better prepared than it was during the first wave in March. Persaud rolled out an in-house Covid-19 testing program in early October, expecting a surge of new cases as the cold months approached.

Health officials have been providing Covid-19 tests to residents throughout Paterson every week.

Persaud’s communicable disease strike team is also conducting around the clock contact tracing to quarantine people potentially exposed to Covid-19 cases to try to break the chain of transmission.

Mayor Andre Sayegh imposed a midnight curfew on businesses in Paterson in late October to try to arrest the spread of the virus in the densely pact city of 150,000 people.

Persaud urged residents to take steps to halt the spread of the virus.

“As Paterson’s Health Officer I am asking our residents to practice all prevention measures such as using masks the correct way, stay away from gatherings and maintain social distancing, keep on washing and cleaning hands as often as required,” said Persaud. “This is the least you can do to help prevent further community spread of SARS-CoV-2. Let’s do it because it is the responsible thing to do.”

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