Covid illness and death numbers are down in West Milford

Only nine new confirmed cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed in West Milford from Feb. 28 to March 7, far fewer than in previous reports. However, one additional death was reported. The victim was a 91 - year- old female.

The people listed in the nine new cases included a male child, age six, and on the opposite end of the age spectrum was a 75-year-old woman. Also infected were four more women, aged 63, 34, 49, and 19, and three men, age 71, 48 and 58.

There were 39 residents at Milford Manor and 13 staff members who contracted the disease in the period covered in the latest report. All have recovered.

The most recent high infection period, according to a graph was during the holiday season and immediately afterward, with the county positivity rate reaching peak on Jan. 11 through early January. It dropped off by the end of that month.

During the two years since Covid-19 began infecting West Milford people, 4,285 residents of the township became ill with the disease. The township had a total of 66 resident deaths due to the virus.

Passaic County Coordinator of Health Services Araceli Pintle of Clifton gave an update for West Milford, accompanied by epidemiologist Patrick Anderson, at a recent West Milford Council meeting. Detailed handouts with statistics of cases and deaths in West Milford were presented.

According to the report, the positivity rate went down from 9.40 percent to 3.65 percent, and Jan. 7 was a peak positivity date. The numbers for Passaic County were like West Milford numbers. Anderson noted that Passaic County was lagging in numbers of people getting booster shots, while 51% of the state population had boosters.

Councilman David Marsden asked if any complications showed up among children who were vaccinated. The two health experts said that no known negative effects were found during follow up by the public health nurse. Only Pfizer’s report was available.

There is no longer a recommended 90 day wait period to receive the vaccine for those who have received monoclonal antibodies. It was reported that Passaic County had the lowest vaccination ratees in the state so there was a push to work with other groups to increase them.

Officials and medical experts are now being quoted in media reports as predicting that incidences of new cases of Covid-19 will continue to go down, which will also alleviate stress on health care systems. Reports say many people now have protection through vaccination, vaccination plus infection or infection. Covid-19 cases and deaths are now said to be mostly restricted to those not vaccinated. Medical people continue to urge people who have not been vaccinated to do so