Gov. Murphy: NJ To Stay Open Despite Worst COVID Week In Months

Toms River NJ

02 October, 2020

10:37 AM

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NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy sought to project optimism as the coronavirus crisis got worse in New Jersey this week, announcing that the state will stay open — and maybe even reopen more — despite the Garden State having its highest number of cases since early June. Murphy said Thursday he will be "profoundly saddened and, I will say, shocked if we have to shut the whole place down again." He said that as he also announced on Friday that New Jersey has 796 new coronavirus cases – the highest daily number since June 5th (You can watch Murphy's remarks below.) "I just don't see that," Murphy said about considering future closures. "We have so much more in place than we had in February and March as well as April and May, everything from the medical knowledge and how we treat patients all the way to the basic compliance on face coverings, social distancing, capacity management." New Jersey reported 4,535 new cases from Sept. 25 through Thursday, the most since May 31-June 6, when New Jersey had 4,810 new cases (see the list of daily cases below). Cases are rising as Murphy's office confirmed that contact tracing is underway in New Jersey since President Donald Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus. Trump visited his Bedminster golf club Thursday after being exposed to the virus. Read more: President Trump Went To NJ Event After COVID-19 Exposure The number of cases also has risen to 205,889, and 14,340 confirmed deaths have been reported. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know Here are the new cases reported over the past seven days: October 2: 796October 1: 663September 30: 722September 29: 505September 28: 561September 27: 712September 26: 760September 25: 612 Hospitalizations also rose in recent weeks after dipping down to around 300. On Friday, the number rose to nearly 528. The positivity rate also rose to 3 percent for the first time since July 17, Murphy said. The fatality rate, however, has dropped sharply after rising above 300 and 400 a day in April. Five confirmed deaths were reported Thursday. Also, the vast majority of the new cases have been reported in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Ocean County had nearly half of the new cases Wednesday, and Lakewood in particular has been labeled a "hot spot." Murphy met with Ocean County officials Friday to address the local outbreak, which has been connected to social gatherings and funerals. While New Jersey's positivity rate is around 3 percent, Lakewood's is 27 percent. Read more: Lakewood's Coronavirus Positivity Rate Hits 27 Percent "I was told by two friends in Ocean County that they buried a 46-year-old guy who was a dad in the Lakewood community," he said. "So we're still out there trying to save every life we can." Murphy has said recently that he will look into doing more reopenings, such as expanding the capacity of indoor dining. Lawmakers have, in recent days, urged the governor to expand capacity seating from 25 to at least 50 percent, saying many restaurants can't survive under the current rules. Still, he took critics – including some lawmakers to task – on Friday who have ripped Murphy for not reopening more quickly. "Enough already," Murphy said. "There are still folks out there that are saying reckless, irresponsible things. Let there be no doubt what the facts are telling us, that we have a significant amount of cases and not just in Ocean County, but up and down the state." The Governor and his brain trust, sadly & unfortunately, have to be shamed into taking action. It's the only thing that's worked throughout. And it's exactly what we'll continue to do. We must save as many of these businesses & jobs and livelihoods as we can. https://t.co/1B2Zmfx7j5— Declan O'Scanlon (@declanoscanlon) September 30, 2020 The governor also said he expects more schools to switch from remote learning to a hybrid model that includes in-person instruction, possibly by November. Murphy said the small number of outbreaks in schools since they reopened nearly a month ago shows that they're safe and not contributing to the statewide spike. Read more: Gov. Murphy: 11 Coronavirus Outbreaks At NJ Schools In New Data "I'd like to see that remote number come down sooner than later," Murphy said. "A lot of them will come down assuming the virus remains in a holding pattern." At the same time, Murphy said he doesn't expect a return to full, statewide in-person instruction happening any time soon. "You've got real space and capacity issues," he said. "There's only so much space in any given school that would allow so many kids on a socially distant basis." Murphy said he also doesn't expect to shut down if there is a second wave of the virus, saying New Jersey has "bed capacity we didn't have (before), 2,500 ventilators, 98 million pieces of PPE. By the end of the fall, we'll be doubling our testing." "The experience we're seeing so far is very encouraging, allowing us essentially the confidence to continue moving forward," he said. "You'll see that confidence evidence itself in the switching of districts from remote to hybrid." Murphy addressed his stance on reopenings during a Facebook Live discussion: You can watch Murphy here: Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day: October 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 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: 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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