6 NEW COVID-19 POSITIVE CASES REPORTED ON MONDAY

3 IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AND 3 COMMUNITY-WIDE

**According to data from the Middlesex County Board of Health, 76% of deaths in Monroe Township are from private long-term care facilities.   

COVID-19 Cases received Monday, May 4:  New positive cases 6 

STATE AND NJDOH STATISTICS:

• Reminder:State reported numbers are still catching up from the past three days due to a network outage this weekend. 
• As of 10 p.m. last night:5,328 residents hospitalized for COVID-19, 1,534 patients in either critical or intensive care, 1,169 ventilators currently in use.That is the lowest number of patients on ventilators since April 4, when the state started publicly tracking those figures. Read the full NJ.com article here.
• Hospitalizations declining in the north, central region and now declining in the south
• 76% of ICU patients are on ventilators. 
• 257,587 tests performed, positivity rate is 39.05%
• 509 LTC facilities with COVID-19 cases; 22,602 COVID-19 cases in these facilities.
• The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General says that on April 16 they opened an investigation into the state's long-term care facilities because of disturbing reports and high number of deaths. The Attorney General asks anyone with information to report it here.

MONROE EXTENDS 2^ndQUARTER TAX PAYMENT GRACE PERIOD TO JUNE 1^st:  As a result of Governor Murphy’s Executive Order on April 28^th, Monroe Township officials voted yesterday to extend the grace period for May 1st Property Tax Payments until June 1, 2020.  Please note, by state law, payments made after June 1^stwould accrue interest back to May 1, 2020.

MAYOR TAMBURRO THANKS ALL ESSENTIAL WORKERS:“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and recognize all essential workers who must continue to work to protect our community’s strength and well-being.  These workers in our community make me proud each and every day as they selflessly place themselves at risk for the good of all in our community and the surrounding area. 

Thank you to all in our community health, EMS, police, fire, post office, mail carriers, delivery drivers, grocery store, restaurant staff and all other essential workers.  It is in times like these that we witness incredible acts of caring, compassion and courage as these workers exercise meticulous discipline to keep themselves, their families and those they serve as safe as possible.  We could not get through this without all of you and we are truly grateful for your service.”     

GOVERNOR MURPHY SAYS NO DIFINITIVE TIMETABLE FOR NJ REOPENING: “I’m sorry we can’t give you more definitive guidance yet,” Murphy said during his daily coronavirus press briefing in Trenton. “We still have people getting sick. With all due respect, this is the fight of our lives.”  The governor apologized for his decision to close New Jersey schools for the rest of the academic year and said he appreciated “all the input and the wisdom on beaches” he’s received from people. But he said there’s no timetable that can currently be announced, despite pressure surrounding the unofficial start of summer with Memorial Day less than three weeks away. “We’ve got to do it right," Murphy said. "We’ve got to do it responsibly (and) we’ve got to do it safely … whether you like that or not.”  Read the full NJ.com article here.

RECENT GRADUATES OF HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS CAN NOW JOIN FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19:  Acting on a commitment to further expand New Jersey’s health care workforce in response to COVID-19, Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced today that recent graduates of nursing, physician assistant, pharmacy, and respiratory care therapy programs who have not yet been able to take and pass their licensing exams will be granted temporary emergency licenses. The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs will begin accepting applications for the emergency graduate licensure program today.  Read the full InsiderNJ.com article here.

YOUR RESPONSE TO THE 2020 CENSUS MATTERS:  The 2020 Census is happening now.  You can complete your questionnaire online, by phone or by mail.  The 2020 Census asks a few simple questions about you and everyone who was living with you on April 1, 2020.  Visit my2020census.gov to begin your online submission or respond when your invitation arrives by mail.  The results of the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities every year for the next decade. That funding shapes many different aspects of every community, no matter the size, no matter the location.

SOUND OFF MONROE TOMORROW:  Show your support for all those essential workers who live and work in our community at 4pm Wednesday, May 6.  Send your photos and videos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. we can share on Facebook.  Sing, dance, cheer and honk horns!  Get creative and remember to stay 6’ away from your neighbors!!