Ocean Medical Center (Photo: Daniel Nee)
The first victim of coronavirus in Ocean County is being treated at Ocean Medical Center in Brick Township, the county health department said in a prepared statement to the media Friday night.
The victim is a man in his 70s who is a resident of Manchester Township. He was admitted to Ocean Medical Center March 9 and tested positive for the novel virus. He is currently recovering at the hospital, according to the Ocean County Health Department. He was listed in stable condition, the department said.
The Health Department is confirming the diagnosis with the CDC in Atlanta. A source within the local healthcare community has said there are as many as three other potential cases in the county.
According to a statement from Manchester Township police, the department was notified by the Ocean County Health Department of a ‘presumptive positive’ case of COVID-19 involving one of its residents. According to Health Department officials, a 72-year-old resident had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus on Friday. The resident was transported to a local hospital earlier in the week by EMTs from the township’s Emergency Medical Services after they, along with a Manchester police officer, responded to a residence for a first aid call.
“Although none of our employees are showing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, these employees were placed on leave out of an abundance of caution,” said Manchester Police Captain Todd Malland.
In a separate case, a woman Berkeley Township in her 60s tested negative for the virus at Community Medical Center, OCHD officials said. Still, the patient is being treated as if she tested positive and is being isolated at the hospital.
