UPDATE: Multiple N.J. teachers have tested positive for coronavirus. Parents urged to monitor kids.

--

A middle school teacher in Mercer County has tested positive for coronavirus and parents were urged Wednesday night to monitor their children for symptoms.

The teacher, who works at Timerberlane Middle School in the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, was asymptomatic while at school in Pennington, according to school and health department officials.

“This evening 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.

New Jersey officials on Wednesday reported at least 427 cases of the coronavirus as the state’s death toll from the virus increased to five. A Monmouth County family reported another death late Wednesday.

Timberlane Middle School closed its doors on Monday along with other schools in the district as teachers and students shifted to remote education, which is expected to continue until at least March 30.

All of New Jersey’s schools — public and private, and including colleges — were ordered to close their doors to students by Wednesday as the coronavirus continues to spread.

“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,” the Montgomery Township Health Department, which serves Hopewell and Pennington, said on its website.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.