Gov. Murphy: Lowest Daily NJ Coronavirus Death Toll In 6 Months

Toms River NJ

07 September, 2020

1:41 PM

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NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy revealed on Monday that New Jersey had its lowest daily confirmed death toll in six months, announcing that the Garden State had 344 new coronavirus cases and two more deaths. Other data released in recent days was not as promising as New Jersey's transmission rate has ticked up again, showing that the state is still struggling to contain the coronavirus spread. But New Jersey, which was among the first states to suffer the worst effects of the outbreak when it first hit the United States in March, now has seen its daily numbers sink to among the lowest levels in the nation (see daily case and fatality numbers below). The total number of coronavirus cases rose on Monday to 194,390, and 14,208 confirmed deaths have been reported. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know Murphy said New Jersey's promising numbers gave the state reason to finally move forward on indoor dining this past week, allowing it to reopen at 25 percent capacity. Read more: Gov. Murphy Issues 58 COVID Reopening Rules For NJ Indoor Dining "We're a heck of a lot better than we were four months ago," Murphy said, noting that April was when New Jersey had its highest daily coronavirus numbers. "But we're still not out of the woods." Here are some of the promising, and not-so-promising signs that may allow New Jersey to take – or refrain from taking – more steps to reopen in the coming weeks: Fatality and case rates New Jersey had its lowest daily fatality report since March 20th on Monday, when only two deaths were also reported. One note should be made about that report, however: It only refers to fatalities that were confirmed as coronavirus-related on Monday. Hospitals, meanwhile, reported that 12 probable deaths happened in New Jersey within the last 24 hours. Still, New Jersey's daily numbers have slowed by more than 90 percent since 4,427 new cases were reported on April 23rd, and 460 deaths were reported on April 30th (see numbers below). In terms of total cases, New Jersey was behind only New York during the early days of the outbreak in March and April. Now it has the eighth highest total number among all states: New Jersey, however, still has the second highest fatality number in the nation. Transmission rate Murphy has relied heavily on this indicator to determine whether to reopen the state. After weeks of hovering around 0.80, the number was back up to 1.09 on Monday. Rising above 1.0 sets off alarm bells because researchers consider that number to be the critical dividing line between controlling the virus and not. Hitting 1.0 means that every person with coronavirus in New Jersey is probably infecting at least one other person. Murphy, however, appeared to urge calm on Friday when he first revealed that the transmission rate rose above 1.0 again, saying he doesn't think there is any particularly area of the state – nor was there any incident – that was cause for concern. "This is sort of the way this virus goes," Murphy said. Schools are reopening again, and Murphy said he and state officials will be paying particular attention to the transmission rate since nearly two-thirds of New Jersey's districts will start with some form of in-person instruction this week. Read more: 242 NJ School Districts Now All-Remote Amid Coronavirus Here is the transmission rate: Positivity rate New Jersey's positivity rate continues to be a strong, positive indicator the state. While some states – such as as Mississippi and Alabama – say 15 percent or more of those tested are positive for the coronavirus, New Jersey's positivity number is below 2 percent. Johns Hopkins University says the United State's positivity rate is around 5 percent. What also makes New Jersey's positivity rate satisfying, Murphy said, is that the Garden State has among the largest testing capacities in the nation and "folks are going out and getting tested." Contact tracing New Jersey continues to struggle with containing cases through contact tracing. Half of the people contacted by contact tracers have refused to cooperate, he said. The governor emphasized that contact tracers have important work in determining where the disease is, and who should be quarantined. If people don't cooperate with contact tracers, Murphy said, then the steps New Jersey took reopen its economy could be "in jeopardy." "I really cannot put it any clearer," he said. "Our contact tracers only care about protecting public health and only protecting you and your family and friends." "We cannot ahead of this virus if you don't work with our contact tracers." Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day: September 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: 3,528 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: September 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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