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Five more fatalities due to complications from COVID-19 were reported today, April 30, by the Atlantic County Division of Public Health. They included a 78-year-old woman and a 59-year-old man, both of Hammonton; an 81-year-old Absecon man; a 78-year-old Egg Harbor Township man; and an 89-year-old Linwood woman. Four of the five were residents of long-term care facilities.

County health officials also confirmed  57 new cases among  25 males, ages 22-88,  and  32 females, ages 7-92. Twenty-one additional residents have been cleared as recovered. This brings the countywide totals to 960 confirmed cases, 42 deaths and 178 recovered residents.

Atlantic County has tested nearly 700 residents to date with a 27.1% rate of positivity among those tested. The statewide rate of positivity has been slowly decreasing but remains more than 40%.

Today’s new cases included 33 residents in Absecon, eight in Atlantic City and four in Egg Harbor Township. Galloway and Hamilton townships and Linwood each had three new positives, Pleasantville had two new cases and Weymouth Township had one.

Atlantic County also announced additional drive-thru test dates for next week by appointment only Tuesday, May 5 and Thursday, May 7 for symptomatic county residents with a doctor’s prescription. The testing will be conducted 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. behind the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing.

Appointments that had been scheduled for today’s postponed testing will be honored on Monday, May 4 at the same time as originally scheduled.

Residents may make an appointment for testing online at www.aclink.org. In addition to the doctor’s prescription, residents must also provide proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or utility bill, as well as the appointment confirmation.

As always, those who are unable to keep their appointments are asked to cancel so that others will have an opportunity to be tested.

Categories: Downbeach

Nanette LoBiondo Galloway

Award winning journalist covering news, events and people of Atlantic County for more than 20 years.