Coronavirus New Jersey: Camden County Turns Attention To COVID-19 Hot Spots In Immigrant Communities, Long-Term Care Facilities
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Camden County officials are turning their attention on two hot spots of COVID-19 cases in the area -- long-term care facilities and immigrant communities. Now, leaders are taking the information and testing facilities to immigrant communities in hopes of containing the virus.
Camden County is starting to see a trend down in its coronavirus cases but tracing has revealed other areas of concern in East Camden.
"In that neighborhood, there's a large population of Mexican and Vietnamese immigrants. We're fearful they're afraid to seek help and seek testing, so our goal is to put a testing site right in their neighborhood," said Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli.
He says a testing site at 2600 Mount Ephraim Ave. in South Camden will open on Wednesday.
The East Camden testing site at 3101 Federal St. will open on Monday.
"Frankly, I think a lot of them are not here legally and they're afraid of the system. But we have to get them tested and we need to get those who are in need of care medical treatment," Cappelli said.
The other hot spot is long-term care facilities, where COVID-19 cases and deaths have been spiking.
Surprise visits have brought some alarming issues to light.
"Some of the things we've seen is patients who are infected are co-mingling with patients who are not infected. There's no proper use of masks or proper use of PPEs," said Cappelli.
The state of New Jersey has been called in to investigate six long-term care facilities.
"About 80% of the deaths in Camden County, so far, have been in our long-term care facilities," Cappelli said.
The county started a public service campaign Monday and handed out 250 donated masks and educational material in Spanish and Vietnamese.
