— Updated March 21, 2020 —
Montgomery Township Health Officer Stephanie Carey reported the township now has five positive cases of COVID-19 virus, as of Thursday, March 19. There is also one positive case in Hillsborough Township and a middle school teacher in Hopewell has tested positive.
The virus spread in Montgomery Township is related to one family plus an international traveler. Previously, three members of the family had tested positive. One of the family members is a Lower Middle School student who attended the DC Gymnastics facility in Hillsborough.
"The child who tested positive was not symptomatic while at the gym, and became symptomatic on March 9, while her last day at the gym was March 4," according to the Hillsborough website. "Therefore, the Montgomery Township Health Department, which has been following up, has notified us that the gym members are low risk."
In addition, a "traveler" who contracted COVID-19 while "overseas" and was visiting Montgomery, tested positive. The traveler was quarantined with a Montgomery family, and has since recovered and returned home, Carey said during a telephone interview on Friday.
Carey would not say what country the "traveler" was from. It is unclear whether the fifth case in Montgomery Township was a member of the family that hosted the traveler. Read the Montgomery Township Health Department COVID-19 Cases announcement for more information.
Hillsborough Township notified residents of a positive case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in the Township on March 18.
The individual had close contact with a coworker in Middlesex County that had previously tested positive for COVID-19. The Hillsborough Township resident is currently in isolation.
“The Hillsborough Township Health Department is monitoring the resident and is working with the state to identify any potential contacts for follow-up,” said Siobhan Spano, Hillsborough health officer.
In Hopewell Township, a Hopewell middle school teacher has tested positive. The teacher, who works at Timberlane Middle School in the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, was asymptomatic while at school in Pennington, according to school and health department officials.
“We were informed that a staff member at Timberlane Middle School has tested positive for COVID-19,” Superintendent Thomas A. Smith said in a statement to families. “We are working closely with the health department to monitor this situation.”
School and health officials said parents should monitor their children for fever, cough and other symptoms of the virus through at least March 27 and contact a doctor if symptoms develop.
The joint statement from Hopewell Township Health Department and the Montgomery Township Health Department reads:
Positive COVID 19 Case in the Hopewell Valley Community March 18
The Health Department has been alerted to positive COVID-19 test results for a Hopewell Township family that had been practicing self-quarantine since March 14. One of the positive tests is a teacher at Timberlane Middle School. The teacher was asymptomatic while at school.
It is important to remember that children, like all persons, may exhibit very mild or no symptoms and still be able to spread the virus.
Please do not call 911 with questions about this case. 911 is for life-threatening emergencies.
The facts cannot be ignored or minimized. The COVID-19 virus is already present in our community, regardless of anyone’s relationship to this specific case. There will most assuredly be more cases in the time ahead. It is critically important that all residents diligently practice social distancing right now. We cannot stress enough how important this practice is for the health and safety of the entire community.
This means: Stay home. Avoid non-essential trips, and maintain 6 feet distance between other people when you must go out. Those making exceptions to this guidance are risking their health and the health of those they may come in contact with.
This is not the time for sleepovers, play groups, birthday parties, and congregating of any kind.
This is the time when your actions can make the difference between life and death, whether we are able to slow or reduce this outbreak, or we will see – in Hopewell Valley - desperate scenes like those that have been broadcast from places that didn’t act firmly enough, soon enough.
Hopewell Valley Regional Schools are providing remote education until at least March 30. This will be further evaluated and updates provided to parents by March 23
For the latest information, visit the Health Department’s joint COVID-19 webpage at
