Gov. Murphy: NJ May Stop Reopenings If COVID-19 Cases Keep Rising
NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy, speaking to CNBC on Monday, said New Jersey may have to suspend further reopenings if cases continue to rise. Murphy made the comments two days after the Garden State had its highest daily number of new cases in four months.
He also made the comments after a President Trump fundraiser in Bedminster on Thursday raised fears that as many as 206 people were exposed to COVID-19.
Trump has since been hospitalized with the coronavirus, and contact tracing is underway. Read more: More Warnings For Possible COVID-19 Exposure From Trump NJ Visit
Murphy told CNBC that "all options are on the table" and that includes "suspension of any further reopenings" if New Jersey doesn't find a way to keep a lid on the recent rising number of coronavirus cases.
On Saturday, New Jersey had 954 new cases – the most since May 29th – after months of averaging 300 to 400 new cases daily (see list of daily cases below).
Murphy suggested that he would not do a rewind and shut down what's already been opened, such as indoor and outdoor dining and schools.
But it does mean that the state would hold off on expanding indoor dining – something that lawmakers and merchants have pushed hard for. They don't believe restaurants can survive when they can only open to 25 percent of their capacity.
Murphy did say that school openings are going well, and New Jersey is focusing on specific gatherings and events that have helped create local "hotspots" with a spike in cases.
"We do need folks to take this seriously," he said.
Murphy said New Jersey would likely approach the situation on more of a town-by-town basis since cases are rising largely because individual communities – such as Lakewood – have become hotspots and not the state at-large.
The governor said it's been sending additional contact tracers and taking other steps to try to quell the steep rise in cases in Lakewood and surrounding Ocean County. He said that gatherings and ceremonies have been largely responsible for the sharp uptick in that region. Read more: Murphy: NJ Takes Steps As Ocean County's COVID Cases Skyrocket
"If we still see the numbers we've seen over last couple days," Murphy said, "we'd probably use a scalpel."
Another one of those potential hotspots is Trump's Bedminster event on Thursday, where as many as 100 people may have had too-close contact with the president and another 100 may have been exposed.
Murphy said people who were at that event should "take themselves off the field" and quarantine for 14 days.
Health officials are having a tough time contact tracing Trump's Bedminster fundraiser last week. NJ Gov. Murphy says all 206 people at Trump's fundraiser need to quarantine NOW: "This virus doesn't care who you are, by the way, New Jersey doesn't care who you are either." pic.twitter.com/qduZJY127J
— The Recount (@therecount) October 5, 2020
Murphy calls Trump NJ fundraiser "wrong decision at every level," says nobody should have gone in personLatest: https://t.co/9LhxpE1weP pic.twitter.com/TgyK3rx86B
— PIX11 News (@PIX11News) October 5, 2020
The state Department of Health said it has received information from the management of Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and the White House. The White House gave New Jersey officials the names of at least 206 people who attended the events.
The DOH has reached out to these people to make them aware of possible exposure and recommend that they self-monitor for symptoms and quarantine if they were in close contact with the president and his staff, officials said.
State health officials are interviewing staff members of the club and assessing the level of contact they had with the president and his staff, and providing public health recommendations accordingly, officials said.
Attendees who are seeking a test should consider waiting at least five to seven days from the event. While the risk is low, a negative test earlier than that time cannot definitively rule out that COVID-19 will not develop, health officials said.
Murphy also spoke after former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced that he has tested positive for the coronavirus and has been hospitalized. Read more: Former NJ Gov. Chris Christie Tests Positive For Coronavirus
Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day:
October 5: 522
October 4: 637
October 3: 957
October 2: 796
October 1: 663
September 30: 722
September 29: 505
September 28: 561
September 27: 712
September 26: 760
September 25: 612
September 24: 588
September 23: 430
September 22: 457
September 21: 396
September 20: 457
September 19: 489
September 18: 519
September 17: 617
September 16: 447
September 15: 498
September 14: 346
September 13: 306
September 12: 487
September 11: 518
September 10: 507
September 9: 356
September 8: 284
September 7: 344
September 6: 360
September 5: 370
September 4: 478
September 3: 455
September 2: 329
September 1: 365
August 31: 352
August 30: 306
August 29: 388
August 28: 372
August 27: 374
August 26: 288
August 25: 346
August 24: 225
August 23: 288
August 22: 427
August 21: 313
August 20: 302
August 19: 399
August 18: 400
August 17: 316
August 16: 329
August 15: 464
August 14: 585
August 13: 699
August 12: 484
August 11: 498
August 10: 258
August 9: 378
August 8: 379
August 7: 384
August 6: 411
August 5: 378
August 4: 416
August 3: 264
August 2: 331
August 1: 393
July 31: 699
July 30: 261
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:
October 5: 2
October 4: 1
October 3: 4
October 2: 4
October 1: 5
September 30: 9
September 29: 10
September 28: 1
September 27: 3
September 26: 6
September 25: 7
September 24: 10
September 23: 7
September 22: 7
September 21: 2
September 20: 3
September 19: 3
September 18: 5
September 17: 3
September 16: 9
September 15: 9
September 14: 3
September 13: 4
September 12: 4
September 11: 9
September 10: 5
September 9: 7
September 8: 5
September 7: 2
September 6: 4
September 5: 7
September 4: 7
September 3: 9
September 2: 11
September 1: 7
August 31: 8
August 30: 4
August 29: 4
August 28: 9
August 27: 7
August 26: 11
August 25: 5
August 24: 3
August 23: 3
August 22: 3
August 21: 13
August 20: 8
August 19: 11
August 18: 10
August 17: 4
August 16: 4
August 15: 7
August 14: 10
August 13: 8
August 12: 9
August 11: 14
August 10: 4
August 9: 5
August 8: 9
August 7: 12
August 6: 8
August 5: 8
August 4: 11
August 3: 10
August 2: 6
August 1: 11
July 31: 10
July 30: 16
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 Holmdel-Hazlet Patch
