Gov. Murphy Extends NJ's Coronavirus Public Health Emergency

Freehold NJ

28 August, 2020

9:09 AM

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NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy extended the coronavirus outbreak's public health emergency for another 30 days, just as New Jersey is preparing to reopen more significant parts of its economy. Murphy announced the extension as New Jersey's numbers also have tapered off a bit in recent weeks, and the transmission rate has dipped to its lowest level in a month (see daily case totals below). The update comes as the number of cases continues to rise in New Jersey. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, School Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know Murphy did not cite any specific reasons for continuing the public health emergency, saying the extension gives the state the "authority to remain vigilant and prepared to act should there be a new outbreak." That also means the state will continue to have the authority to order new shutdowns and take similar extraordinary acts if the virus resurges, as it has done in other states. But Murphy is continuing to play it cautious even as he's prepared to reopen gyms and indoor amusements on Tuesday. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ Gyms, Indoor Amusements Can Reopen Amid Coronavirus Crisis Murphy, speaking during a Wednesday news conference, said he also hopes to reopen indoor dining and movie theaters by Sept. 14. Read more: Gov. Murphy Hopes To Open NJ Indoor Dining, Movie Theaters Soon And many schools are also supposed to start in-person instruction this week, though many are also starting the year with remote learning. Read more: NJ Schools With Remote Instruction To Grow To 180: Here's Where Murphy also addressed child care programs amid the coronavirus during a Friday news conference: Murphy extended the public health emergency that was first declared on March 9 through the end of September. "In New Jersey, we have made significant progress in the fight against COVID-19, but this fight is still not over," said Murphy. "Extending the public health emergency will provide us access to all available resources to continue saving lives and mitigating the spread of this virus." Murphy extended the emergency just as New Jersey is showing that it's both progressing and lagging in the various indicators that say whether the coronavirus continues to spread. Read more: Reports Show Where NJ Succeeds And Lags In Containing Coronavirus This week, however, the Garden State had good news: New Jersey's percent positivity rate dipped to 1.52, half of what it was more than a month ago, and its rate of transmission is now down to 0.77. Both indicate that New Jersey's coronavirus outbreak is being contained. Still, many New Jersey towns have had coronavirus spikes since the summer began and now rank high on the case and fatality lists. Here are the latest New Jersey town-by-town numbers, ranked. Read more: Latest Town-By-Town NJ Coronavirus Cases, Deaths, Spikes Ranked Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day: August 28: 372 August 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: 3,528 April 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: August 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: 26June 24: 48June 23: 57June 22: 27June 21: 17June 20: 25June 19: 37June 18: 38June 17: 47June 16: 51June 15: 52June 14: 40June 13: 103June 12: 48June 11: 70June 10: 74June 9: 91June 8: 40June 7: 79June 6: 60June 5: 79June 4: 92June 3: 112June 2: 51June 1: 27May 31: 66May 30: 113May 29: 131May 28: 66May 27: 148May 26: 54May 25: 16May 24: 52May 23: 96May 22: 146May 21: 98May 20: 168May 19: 162May 18: 83May 17: 107May 16: 116May 15: 201May 14: 244May 13: 197May 12: 198May 11: 59May 10: 140May 9: 166May 8: 162May 7: 254May 6: 308May 5: 334May 4: 45May 3: 137May 2: 205May 1: 311April 30: 460April 29: 329April 28: 402April 27: 106April 26: 75April 25: 249April 24: 253April 23: 307April 22: 314April 21: 379April 20: 177April 19: 132April 18: 231April 17: 323April 16: 362April 15: 351April 14: 365April 13: 94April 12: 168April 11: 251April 10: 233April 9: 198April 8: 275April 7: 232April 6: 86April 5: 71April 4: 200April 3: 113April 2: 182April 1: 91March 31: 69March 30: 37March 29: 21March 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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