Gov. Murphy Warns That NJ's Coronavirus Cases Are Rising Again
NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy is warning that New Jersey's coronavirus cases are on the rise again, and he believes that indoor parties are largely responsible for the uptick. Murphy made the statement as he announced an additional 489 coronavirus cases and 18 more deaths on Wednesday (you can watch it here, below).
Murphy noted that New Jersey had 565 new coronavirus cases and 24 more confirmed deaths on Tuesday. The daily case number was the highest in the Garden State since June 6th (see the list of numbers below).
The state's most recent 5-day daily case average of 511 was almost double the Garden State's previous 5-day average of 295.
"It tells me as we've been saying of late: We're not out of the woods," Murphy said.
Murphy also indicated that he's not yet ready to flip the switch and reopen more of New Jersey's economy – such as indoor dining – as the number of cases rose to 180,766 on Wednesday, and 13,923 confirmed deaths have been reported. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
"This is why we've had to hit pause," he said.
During his Wednesday news conference, Murphy expressed concern about gatherings and parties that have caused local spikes in cases in Middletown, Long Beach Island and Jackson, the latter involving a party of 700 people.
Also, partygoers have reportedly not been upfront with contact tracers, perhaps afraid that they'll "rat out" their friends. Read more: COVID Trouble: 3 NJ Gatherings, Dozens Of New Cases
"We need people to take the call," Murphy said.
Murphy said he gets that everyone's routines were "turned upside down" by the coronavirus outbreak. But he said the house parties and even some outdoor activities have led to more than 125 new cases in New Jersey over the past week, largely involving people between the ages of 14 and 19.
Indeed, Rutgers announced over the weekend it has quarantined the entire football team. At least 10 players have now tested positive for the coronavirus. Read more: Rutgers Quarantines Football Team As 10 Players Test Positive
"Folks, we cannot continue to have crowded house parties. They are not safe, period," he said. "They've put the hard work we've taken together since March at the risk of being undone."
Murphy also faces the prospect of dealing with a continued uptick in cases as schools are preparing to reopen on Sept. 8.
The governor has repeatedly said that the coronavirus spreads much more rapidly indoors than outdoors, and many educators feel that reopening schools could lead to a burst of new cases.
New Jersey's teachers union even said it's just not plausible to open up on time in September amid the coronavirus crisis. Read more: NJ Teachers Union: Not Safe To Open Schools On Time Amid COVID-19
Murphy said he's also concerned about the state's rate-of-transmission, which indicates whether the coronavirus is still spreading at a rapid rate.
Murphy said the state's rate-of-transmission is currently at 1.14, and 1.0 is considered too high. That means that every infected person is transmitting the disease to 1.14 people, a strong sign of community spread.
Last week, the number was down to 0.90, which indicated that the virus was largely contained and that contact tracers were able to successfully track the virus and urge exposed people to quarantine (story continues below graphic).
There have been good numbers, however. The state's number of hospitalizations has continued to decline to their lowest numbers since the outbreak began in March. On Wednesday, Murphy reported that 761 people were in the hospital; a month ago, the number was above 1,000.
"When you hear about house parties and other flare-ups that we're seeing, when you look at the raw numbers, it's a mixed bag at best," Murphy said about the state of the outbreak in New Jersey.
But Murphy's also expressed concern about out-of-state travelers, which is why the governor added states to the travel advisory list on Tuesday.
Some of the state's spikes have been connected to people traveling from coronavirus hotspots across the country to New Jersey. Read more: NJ Expands Coronavirus Travel Quarantine To 34 States
"We're not out of the woods yet and we need everybody to remain vigilant, particularly avoiding being inside, in close congregation, without social distancing, without face coverings," he said.
Watch Murphy here:
Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day:
July 29: 489
July 28: 565
July 27: 446
July 26: 512
July 25: 547
July 24: 488
July 23: 344
July 22: 390
July 21: 424
July 20: 177
July 19: 144
July 18: 309
July 17: 202
July 16: 254
July 15: 396
July 14: 423
July 13: 231
July 12: 349
July 11: 438
July 10: 367
July 9: 354
July 8: 335
July 7: 310
July 6: 216
July 5: 398
July 4: 303
July 3: 386
July 2: 539
July 1: 423
June 30: 461
June 29: 156
June 28: 354
June 27: 347
June 26: 524
June 25: 406
June 24: 317
June 23: 382
June 22: 359
June 21: 411
June 20: 446
June 19: 516
June 18: 442
June 17: 330
June 16: 470
June 15: 274
June 14: 305
June 13: 523
June 12: 495
June 11: 539
June 10: 611
June 9: 375
June 8: 356
June 7: 426
June 6: 606
June 5: 864
June 4: 603
June 3: 652
June 2: 708
June 1: 509
May 31: 868
May 30: 910
May 29: 1,117
May 28: 1,261
May 27: 970
May 26: 703
May 25: 965
May 24: 1,065
May 23: 443
May 22: 1,394
May 21: 1,304
May 20: 1,670
May 19: 1,055
May 18: 1,735
May 17: 1,272
May 16: 1,239
May 15: 1,297
May 14: 1,216
May 13: 1,028
May 12: 898
May 11: 1,453
May 10: 1,503
May 9: 1,759
May 8: 1,985
May 7: 1,827
May 6: 1,513
May 5: 2,494
May 4: 1,621
May 3: 3,144
May 2: 2,912
May 1: 2,651
April 30: 2,633
April 29: 2,481
April 28: 2,887
April 27: 2,146
April 26: 3,730
April 25: 3,457
April 24: 3,047
April 23: 4,427
April 22: 3,551
April 21: 3,644
April 20: 3,528
April 19: 3,915
April 18: 3,026
April 17: 3,250
April 16: 4,391
April 15: 2,625
April 14: 4,049
April 13: 3,219
April 12: 3,733
April 11: 3,599
April 10: 3,627
April 9: 3,748
April 8: 3,088
April 7: 3,361
April 6: 3,663
April 5: 3,482
April 4: 4,331
April 3: 4,372
April 2: 3,489
April 1: 3,649
March 31: 2,196
March 30: 3,347
March 29: 2,316
March 28: 2,289
March 27: 1,982
March 26: 2,492
March 25: 736
March 24: 846
March 23: 935
March 22: 590
March 21: 442
March 20: 155
March 19: 318
March 18: 162
March 17: 89
March 16: 80
March 15: 31
March 14: 19
March 13: 21
March 12: 21
March 11: 8
March 10: 4
March 9: 5
March 8: 6
March 7: 1
March 6: 1
March 5: 1
March 4: 1
Here is a look at coronavirus deaths by day:
July 29: 18
July 28: 24
July 27: 17
July 26: 11
July 25: 16
July 24: 36
July 23: 23
July 22: 24
July 21: 21
July 20: 9
July 19: 11
July 18: 16
July 17: 20
July 16: 32
July 15: 27
July 14: 28
July 13: 22
July 12: 16
July 11: 49
July 10: 31
July 9: 28
July 8: 53
July 7: 52
July 6: 20
July 5: 23
July 4: 25
July 3: 58
July 2: 27
July 1: 45
June 30: 47
June 29: 18
June 28: 30
June 27: 36
June 26: 44
June 25: 26
June 24: 48
June 23: 57
June 22: 27
June 21: 17
June 20: 25
June 19: 37
June 18: 38
June 17: 47
June 16: 51
June 15: 52
June 14: 40
June 13: 103
June 12: 48
June 11: 70
June 10: 74
June 9: 91
June 8: 40
June 7: 79
June 6: 60
June 5: 79
June 4: 92
June 3: 112
June 2: 51
June 1: 27
May 31: 66
May 30: 113
May 29: 131
May 28: 66
May 27: 148
May 26: 54
May 25: 16
May 24: 52
May 23: 96
May 22: 146
May 21: 98
May 20: 168
May 19: 162
May 18: 83
May 17: 107
May 16: 116
May 15: 201
May 14: 244
May 13: 197
May 12: 198
May 11: 59
May 10: 140
May 9: 166
May 8: 162
May 7: 254
May 6: 308
May 5: 334
May 4: 45
May 3: 137
May 2: 205
May 1: 311
April 30: 460
April 29: 329
April 28: 402
April 27: 106
April 26: 75
April 25: 249
April 24: 253
April 23: 307
April 22: 314
April 21: 379
April 20: 177
April 19: 132
April 18: 231
April 17: 323
April 16: 362
April 15: 351
April 14: 365
April 13: 94
April 12: 168
April 11: 251
April 10: 233
April 9: 198
April 8: 275
April 7: 232
April 6: 86
April 5: 71
April 4: 200
April 3: 113
April 2: 182
April 1: 91
March 31: 69
March 30: 37
March 29: 21
March 28: 32
March 27: 27
March 26: 19
March 25: 18
March 24: 17
March 23: 7
March 22: 4
March 21: 5
March 20: 2
March 19: 4
March 18: 3
March 17: 0
March 16: 1
March 15: 0
March 14: 1
March 13: 0
March 12: 0
March 11: 0
March 10: 1
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This article originally appeared on the Manchester Patch
