Gov. Murphy: NJ's COVID-19 Contact Tracing Runs Into Trouble

Asbury Park NJ

27 October, 2020

8:32 AM

Description

NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy says New Jersey continues to have difficulty getting people to cooperate with contact tracers, with more than half of those infected or exposed to the coronavirus refusing to provide information. Murphy, speaking during his Monday news conference, suggested that the lack of participation in providing information to contact tracers has slowed efforts to track the virus and ultimately quarantine people to reduce the spread. The number of people refusing to participate is 58 percent, Murphy said. That's an increase over two months ago, in August, when it was 52 percent. "C'mon, folks!" Murphy said, making an urgent plea to get people to cooperate. "Again, I urge everyone to take the call and cooperate with our contact tracers," Murphy said. "Nobody is on a witch hunt, and nobody has any concern other than protecting your health, your family's health and your community's health." New Jersey has enough contact tracers to help contain the coronavirus, Murphy said, and the state is better shape than it was in August. Murphy said the state has around 300 more contact tracers than it had in August, currently deploying a total of 1,906. Murphy said New Jersey is able to follow up on more than two-thirds of cases reported. Within the first 24 hours, the state is able to follow up on 55 percent of the cases. Murphy made the plea as New Jersey continues to show increases in cases and hospitalizations that the Garden State hasn't seen in five months (see list of daily cases below). After months of daily cases falling in the 200-300 range, New Jersey had its ninth straight day of 1,000 or more new cases, the first time that has happened since May 14-22. Hospitalizations also approached 1,000 for the first time in at least two months, hitting 948. North Jersey, which had largely contained the virus after the region was the epicenter of the outbreak in March, is now reporting the state's largest numbers of new cases each day. Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, Passaic and Union counties each had more than 110 new cases on Monday. Murphy rolled out a preliminary vaccine plan Monday but said New Jersey needs to do its part before one is available. Right now, he said, it's not doing so. Read more: NJ Ramps Up For 'Equitable' COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout "We need to stop the rise of the curve and push these numbers down," Murphy said. "We will not throw up our hands in defeat and let this virus run rampant until that day" when vaccines are available. Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said many people who have been infected or exposed to COVID-19 prefer to inform their contacts personally instead of sharing their information with a contact tracer. "While that may seem like a nice gesture or a personal touch, it's hindering the overall contact tracing effort," she said. Contact tracers provide expert information on how to protect people infected or exposed to the virus, and they help connect people to vital information and provide them with a safe place to isolate. "Please help these professionals do their job and better protect New Jersey and give them the information they need on the individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19," she said. Murphy also urged people to download the state's contact tracing app: Add your phone to the fight against #COVID19#COVIDAlertNJ notifies you if you've been near someone who has tested positive for #COVID19, helping keep our communities safe. Download today: https://t.co/B2YNdX5M9o pic.twitter.com/ypu156LJrM— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) October 26, 2020 Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day: October 27: 1,663October 26: 1,223October 25: 1,140October 24: 1,994October 23: 1,139October 22: 1,182October 21: 1,062October 20: 1,036October 19: 1,192October 18: 1,282October 17: 958October 16: 823October 15: 973October 14: 953October 13: 993October 12: 478October 11: 751October 10: 901October 9: 881October 8: 1,301October 7: 514October 6: 651October 5: 522October 4: 637October 3: 957October 2: 796October 1: 663September 30: 722September 29: 505September 28: 561September 27: 712September 26: 760September 25: 612September 24: 588September 23: 430September 22: 457September 21: 396September 20: 457September 19: 489September 18: 519September 17: 617September 16: 447September 15: 498September 14: 346September 13: 306September 12: 487September 11: 518September 10: 507September 9: 356September 8: 284September 7: 344September 6: 360September 5: 370September 4: 478September 3: 455September 2: 329September 1: 365August 31: 352August 30: 306August 29: 388August 28: 372August 27: 374August 26: 288August 25: 346August 24: 225August 23: 288August 22: 427August 21: 313August 20: 302August 19: 399August 18: 400August 17: 316August 16: 329August 15: 464August 14: 585August 13: 699August 12: 484August 11: 498August 10: 258August 9: 378August 8: 379August 7: 384August 6: 411August 5: 378August 4: 416August 3: 264August 2: 331August 1: 393July 31: 699July 30: 261July 29: 489July 28: 565July 27: 446July 26: 512July 25: 547July 24: 488July 23: 344July 22: 390July 21: 424July 20: 177July 19: 144July 18: 309July 17: 202July 16: 254July 15: 396July 14: 423July 13: 231July 12: 349July 11: 438July 10: 367July 9: 354July 8: 335July 7: 310July 6: 216July 5: 398July 4: 303July 3: 386July 2: 539July 1: 423June 30: 461June 29: 156June 28: 354June 27: 347June 26: 524June 25: 406June 24: 317June 23: 382June 22: 359June 21: 411June 20: 446June 19: 516June 18: 442June 17: 330June 16: 470June 15: 274June 14: 305June 13: 523June 12: 495June 11: 539June 10: 611June 9: 375June 8: 356June 7: 426June 6: 606June 5: 864June 4: 603June 3: 652June 2: 708June 1: 509May 31: 868May 30: 910May 29: 1,117May 28: 1,261May 27: 970May 26: 703May 25: 965May 24: 1,065May 23: 443May 22: 1,394May 21: 1,304May 20: 1,670May 19: 1,055May 18: 1,735May 17: 1,272May 16: 1,239May 15: 1,297May 14: 1,216May 13: 1,028May 12: 898May 11: 1,453May 10: 1,503May 9: 1,759May 8: 1,985May 7: 1,827May 6: 1,513May 5: 2,494May 4: 1,621May 3: 3,144May 2: 2,912May 1: 2,651April 30: 2,633April 29: 2,481April 28: 2,887April 27: 2,146April 26: 3,730April 25: 3,457April 24: 3,047April 23: 4,427April 22: 3,551April 21: 3,644April 20: 3,528April 19: 3,915April 18: 3,026April 17: 3,250April 16: 4,391April 15: 2,625April 14: 4,049April 13: 3,219April 12: 3,733April 11: 3,599April 10: 3,627April 9: 3,748April 8: 3,088April 7: 3,361April 6: 3,663April 5: 3,482April 4: 4,331April 3: 4,372April 2: 3,489April 1: 3,649March 31: 2,196March 30: 3,347March 29: 2,316March 28: 2,289March 27: 1,982March 26: 2,492March 25: 736March 24: 846March 23: 935March 22: 590March 21: 442March 20: 155March 19: 318March 18: 162March 17: 89March 16: 80March 15: 31March 14: 19March 13: 21March 12: 21March 11: 8March 10: 4March 9: 5March 8: 6March 7: 1March 6: 1March 5: 1March 4: 1 Here is a look at coronavirus deaths by day: October 27: 14October 26: 7October 25: 4October 24: 8October 23: 11October 22: 18October 21: 18October 20: 13October 19: 4October 18: 7October 17: 2October 16: 5October 15: 6October 14: 9October 13: 7October 12: 1October 11: 3October 10: 7October 9: 6October 8: 11October 7: 4October 6: 9October 5: 2October 4: 1October 3: 4October 2: 4October 1: 5September 30: 9September 29: 10September 28: 1September 27: 3September 26: 6September 25: 7September 24: 10September 23: 7September 22: 7September 21: 2September 20: 3September 19: 3September 18: 5September 17: 3September 16: 9September 15: 9September 14: 3September 13: 4September 12: 4September 11: 9September 10: 5September 9: 7September 8: 5September 7: 2September 6: 4September 5: 7September 4: 7September 3: 9September 2: 11September 1: 7August 31: 8August 30: 4August 29: 4August 28: 9August 27: 7August 26: 11August 25: 5August 24: 3August 23: 3August 22: 3August 21: 13August 20: 8August 19: 11August 18: 10August 17: 4August 16: 4August 15: 7August 14: 10August 13: 8August 12: 9August 11: 14August 10: 4August 9: 5August 8: 9August 7: 12August 6: 8August 5: 8August 4: 11August 3: 10August 2: 6August 1: 11July 31: 10July 30: 16July 29: 18July 28: 24July 27: 17July 26: 11July 25: 16July 24: 36July 23: 23July 22: 24July 21: 21July 20: 9July 19: 11July 18: 16July 17: 20July 16: 32July 15: 27July 14: 28July 13: 22July 12: 16July 11: 49July 10: 31July 9: 28July 8: 53July 7: 52July 6: 20July 5: 23July 4: 25July 3: 58July 2: 27July 1: 45June 30: 47June 29: 18June 28: 30June 27: 36June 26: 44June 25: 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28: 32March 27: 27March 26: 19March 25: 18March 24: 17March 23: 7March 22: 4March 21: 5March 20: 2March 19: 4March 18: 3March 17: 0March 16: 1March 15: 0March 14: 1March 13: 0March 12: 0March 11: 0March 10: 1 New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. 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