By Donald Gilpin

The Princeton Health Department (PHD) reported Tuesday, April 14, a total of 64 cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Princeton, with 36 active positive cases, 25 cases recovered, and three deaths. The third death in Princeton from COVID-19, a male in his 90s, which was the second death of a Princeton Care Center (PCC) resident, was reported on Monday, April 13.

Princeton Health Officer Jeff Grosser pointed out the vulnerability of communities of older adults susceptible to developing severe complications from COVID-19, and he emphasized rising concerns about asymptomatic spread of the virus. “What is more alarming is how many of these locations incorporated strict infectious disease control and prevention strategies into their daily activities as early as February, prior to confirmed community spread,” he wrote in an email Tuesday. “Many of these strategies incorporated the quarantine or isolation of patients, residents, and or staff when symptomatic.”

He continued, “We are now aware that asymptomatic spread is often more of a concern to the greater community. Fortunately the greater community (and these older adult living facilities) have absorbed universal masking when in public or around others.”

Grosser went on to note “promising signs” that there does seem to be a flattening of the curve throughout the state, but stated, “One of the key priorities should be heightened support to long-term care facilities and ensuring their ability to restrict visitation, test staff, and isolate symptomatic residents.”

The PHD, Grosser said, is working closely with Princeton Care Center, with guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health, in managing the outbreak of cases at PCC, which are most likely the result of asymptomatic spread. There are three currently active COVID-19 cases at PCC, in addition to the two deaths.

Princeton Care Center has been following NJ Department of Health guidance on outbreak response in long-term care facilities, and the PHD is “actively assisting the Care Center with each new case identified and each new policy implemented,” Grosser said.

The PHD has also been working with essential retailers to implement new procedures to comply with the recent executive orders from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy requiring facial coverings of all individuals, both working and shopping, as well as occupancy limitations.

Though the virus continues to spread, and case numbers and deaths rise, Murphy, in press briefings Monday and Tuesday, stated that the curve in the state is flattening and the rate of increase is slowing. He added that social distancing and the near-lockdown stay-at-home restrictions have begun to work.

Murphy also announced on Monday that New Jersey is joining a seven-state coalition — with Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island — to develop a regional plan for eventually ending the lockdown, scaling back restrictions, and reviving the economy, but not before the states are past the peak of new cases.

State officials announced 365 COVID-19 new deaths Tuesday, the largest one-day increase yet, bringing the total deaths in the state to 2,805. There have been 68,824 cases reported in New Jersey, with 4,059 new cases reported since the previous day.

New Jersey Department of Health officials on Tuesday reported a total of 71 deaths and a total of 1,731 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mercer County.

As of Monday night 8,185 people were hospitalized in New Jersey with COVID-19 or suspected of having COVID-19, with 2,051 of those in critical care and 1,626 on ventilators. From 10 p.m. Sunday night to Monday night at 10 p.m., 514 New Jersey patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 were discharged.

Keeping count of COVID-19 cases and tracking the spread of the disease is problematic, because the state is testing only patients who are symptomatic, and the testing has been backed up for as much as 14 days.

Princeton University has announced a number of research projects targeting the medical and economic challenges created by COVID-19. The University has awarded more than $500,000 to seven faculty-led research initiatives on asymptomatic transmission, immunity following infection, vaccines, new treatments, contact tracing, economic implications of social distancing, challenges unique to urban environments, and strategies for reducing pandemic-associated domestic violence.

One project will focus on transmission and immunity in the Princeton community. Focusing on the question of asymptomatic transmission of the coronavirus, researchers will combine viral testing for active infections with evaluations of the immune response of individuals in the Princeton community. “The project will also provide a foundation from which to probe the development of an immune response to the virus, with the potential to inform our understanding of what the immune response means in terms of protection from infection,” said Deputy University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss.

In addition, the National Science Foundation has awarded emergency grants to three Princeton University research teams exploring ways to address COVID-19.

One team, led by Associate Computer Science Professor Kyle Jamieson, will be working to develop a system using cellphones to help public health officials track contacts of people diagnosed with diseases such as COVID-19.

Another team, led by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and by Princeton’s Interim Dean of Engineering H. Vincent Poor, will expand a mathematical model that allows public officials to measure the effect of mutations and countermeasures on the spread of the disease.

A third team led by Alin Coman, assistant professor of psychology and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, will examine how anxiety about COVID-19 influences how people learn and share information about the pandemic.

For more information on the coronavirus pandemic, visit princetoncovid.org or covid19.nj.gov.