As part of a statement refuting a lack of transparency for not releasing town-specific COVID-19 numbers for Atlantic County, County Executive Dennis Levinson did just that Wednesday afternoon.

Levinson said he was concerned that second homeowners, seeing relatively low numbers of positive COVID-19 cases in Atlantic County compared to other parts of the region, would leave their homes and come to the shore to wait out the crisis.

In a press release Wednesday, Levinson said, "Atlantic County made a conscious decision early on not to provide this information to the media to help protect our full time, permanent residents from an influx of second homeowners and out-of-towners who could potentially carry the virus from areas of outbreak including New York, North Jersey and the Philadelphia suburbs.”

Atlantic County reported 17 new cases today in the following towns:
Atlantic City – 2
Buena Borough – 1
Buena Vista Township – 1
Egg Harbor Township – 3
Galloway – 3
Hamilton Twp. – 3
Northfield – 1
Pleasantville – 2
Ventnor – 1

Previously reported cases:
Absecon – 8
Atlantic City – 25 with 1 death
Brigantine – 2
Buena Borough – 8
Egg Harbor City – 4
Egg Harbor Twp. – 29 with 3 deaths
Galloway – 20
Hamilton Twp. – 13
Hammonton – 7
Linwood – 7
Longport – 2
Margate – 1
Northfield – 2
Pleasantville – 13
Somers Point – 5
Ventnor – 9
Weymouth - 1

With Wednesday's numbers, the county total stands at 173 positive COVID-19 cases.

Levinson urged the public not to be lulled into a false sense of security if the numbers in their town are low.

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