More COVID cases reported in West Milford

Following a period of fewer confirmed cases of COVID-19, the latest official report says there were 25 new ones during the period of April 18-25. Total cases recorded for the municipality since the virus surfaced in the township two years ago now are at 4,425 with 67 deaths.

During the week of March 28, there were just five new cases confirmed. The week before there were seven new cases and one death reported. There were eight new cases the week of April 4, then the figure jumped to 18 the following week of April 11.

In the recent reports, there were no new positive cases of the virus at either Milford Manor or Chelsea at Bald Eagle nursing homes. In the latest report there were still no new cases at Milford Manor. One resident and two staff members were reported to have tested positive at Chelsea in that report.

In the latest report of Covid cases in the township, 14 were males and 11 were females. Six of these were children, with three being one year old and two of the children two years old. Except for five people in their early 60s the other age groups each had just one or two person who tested positive for the virus.

BA.2, now the dominant version of COVID-19 in the United States, accounts for almost 55 percent of COVID cases that have undergone genetic sequencing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That report said BA.2 is more transmissible and has caused new outbreaks in Europe and China. White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Faucci said last month he did not expect a surge, although cases could rise in coming weeks. The report said the BA.2 subvariant spreads about 75 percent faster than the earlier version.