March 18, 2020
Dear Verona Residents,
The Montclair Health Department (who provides services to Verona under a shared services agreement) informed the Verona Office of Emergency Management that one of our residents has tested positive for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. Our thoughts are with this resident and family.
The resident is a 62-year-old male and is currently admitted at Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center for treatment.
The Health Department is currently working to conduct a thorough investigation to identify other individuals with whom the patient may have come in contact. Officials will then contact them in order to provide the necessary supports and guidance.
Verona is a strong community, but this confirmed case is a reminder to all that we are not immune to current public health concerns. However, all residents can make deliberate efforts to flatten the curve of virus transmission by practicing social distancing, changing higher-risk plans like dining out, using public transportation, traveling, and attending large gatherings. It is similarly important that those with questions seek appropriate guidance and medical care at the direction of primary care physicians.
Please continue to support one another during a challenging time for our local, state, and national communities. Be certain to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, the New Jersey Department of Health, and Township of Verona.
I ask everyone to please be patient as we continue to work to provide accurate information to the public. Stay well and we will all get through this pandemic together.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Best regards,
MATTHEW CAVALLO
Township Manager
Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator
We need to know to see if, we were in the same places that this infected person was…so we can get tested if we were In contact at all!!! you can not hold back!!! It’s not right!!!
No, Maria. That’s not how it works. In this virus or in any infectious disease situation. There are patient privacy rules and disease protocols to follow.
Public health officials question an infected patient to gather information on his or her movements in the period of contagiousness prior to the start of the illness. They then inform anyone that that person was in contact with. In some cases, if precise contacts cannot be established, a more general notice may be released to the public, as was the case with the YMCA gym member last week: People who had attended two classes were advised to seek testing.
If you are showing signs of the coronavirus COVID-19, you may qualify for one of the drive-through testing sites. Check with your health insurer before heading out.