By Donald Gilpin

The coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to take its toll on New Jersey with a record 3,347 new cases in the past 24 hours for a total of 16,636 confirmed cases in the state and 37 new deaths, for a total of 198 fatalities.

The number of positive cases in Princeton rose to 26, according to the Princeton Health Department, while the New Jersey Department of Health announced that there are now 249 cases of COVID-19 in Mercer County. All these numbers are expected to rise in the coming days as testing increases and the virus continues to spread.

 “These numbers have gone up dramatically,” Gov. Phil Murphy said at his press briefing today, March 30.  “We expect them to continue to go up dramatically.”

Mercer County is opening a drive-up testing site at Quaker Bridge Mall on Tuesday, March 31.  The site will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday for symptomatic residents of Mercer County, by appointment only with a prescription from a primary health care provider.

Princeton University announced on Friday that a total of two students had tested positive on campus and 23 students had tested positive in off-campus tests. All are receiving appropriate treatment, according to Princeton’s University Health Services. There are 18 students whose tests are still pending.

Twelve Princeton University employees have tested positive and are in their respective homes in self-isolation, receiving appropriate treatment, and three employees’ tests are still pending. Only the cases of University staff members who are Princeton residents are included in the town’s total of 26 cases.

For more information, visit princetoncovid.org or covid19.nj.gov.