The Camden County Department of Health is announcing 33 additional positive case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) identified in Camden County. including two (2) in Merchantville. Trace investigations are being facilitated with the patients and remain ongoing.  “This is the largest single day increase in cases we have seen in Camden County to date, and it underscores the reality that we are only at the beginning of this crisis and we need everyone to keep social distancing and keep staying at home as much as possible,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. This brings the aggregate number of confirmed positive cases to 117 in Camden County and another 1,928 statewide bringing NJ's total to 8,825. 

We know you have questions about coronavirus (COVID-19), how your government is responding to the needs of the community, and what is being done to mitigate the spread of the disease in Camden County. On Thursday, March 26th, at 3:00 p.m. Freeholder Lou Cappelli, Congressman Donald Norcross and Health & Human Services Director Anne E. Walters hosted a virtual town hall on Facebook Live. Residents were invited and encouraged to join in and have their questions answered via live chat and email. The video stream is available here.

the Senate passed a massive stimulus package last night and the House is expected to follow suit). A key feature of the stimulus is individual checks. Checks are supposed to be produced asap, but that could take up to two months. If you use direct deposit, it will be faster. Checks will be $1,200 per adult/$2,400 for married couples filing jointly and an additional $500 per child - income limit $75,000 with a phaseout for higher incomes. Treasury will advance your check based on your most recently filed tax return (2018 or 2019 tax return) so if you need to get your return in today. Your 2019 will not be affected by the stimulus check.

Last week, Matt Skoufalos of NJ Pen spoke with a handful of mayors about the early effects of novel coronavirus on their communities and the time that will lapse before those dollars trickle down to the individual families, self-employed workers, and small businesses that need them the most. Mayor Ted Brennan said he’s hopeful that some community block development grants (CBDGs) will again be available to help small businesses in his community recover from COVID-19-related losses. Brennan supports the statewide shutdowns as “fully justified” to “flatten the curve”, he also knows those closures will have an “ancillary impact” on Merchantville's small businesses. Here’s what local mayors had to say. 

Governor Phil Murphy announced an administrative order permitting additional businesses to operate normal business hours in accordance with Executive Order 107. Effective immediately, the following retail businesses are considered essential and permitted to operate: Mobile phone retail, repair shops; Bicycle shops, only for service and repair; Livestock feed stores; Nurseries, garden centers; and, Farming equipment stores. Local small business nurseries to support include: Haines Farm and Garden; A & J Landscape Supply and Garden Center and McNaughton's Garden Center. The Erlton Bike Shop's website and Facebook page state that it is temporarily closed.