Nearly 2,000 people have died from coronavirus complications in NJ as cases rise to 54,588
Here's the latest news on the spread of coronavirus in New Jersey. We will continue to update throughout the day as we learn more.
How many NJ coronavirus cases are there?
As of April 10, there were 54,588 reported cases in the state, including 3,627 additional cases disclosed Friday.
New Jersey has completed a total of 105,611 tests with 44.2% of the tests coming back positive as of Friday.
Although the number of cases is rising, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday that the state is seeing a decline in the growth rate of new coronavirus cases from 24% day-over-day to 12%.
Longterm care facilities continue to be a big concern for New Jersey. Of the 375 longterm care facilities in the state, 262 have confirmed at least one coronavirus case, Persichilli said.
In New Jersey’s nursing homes, an unseen crisis has erupted that threatens the lives of elderly residents and the staff members who care for them, fuels the spread of coronavirus in the community and floods already overloaded hospitals with even more patients.
How many people are hospitalized with coronavirus in NJ?
In New Jersey, more than 7,570 individuals with confirmed or potential cases of COVID-19 were hospitalized as of 10 p.m. Thursday night. Of those patients, 768 patients are in intensive care, 911 are in critical care and 4,767 are in medical surgical beds. It is unclear why these bed numbers added together do not equal the total hospitalized number.
Statewide ventilator capacity was at 59.7% as of Friday with 1,663 patients on ventilators.
There were 682 patients discharged in the last 24 hours.
These numbers are constantly changing as NJ hospitals are required to give daily updates. You can get the latest numbers on NJ's hospital census dashboard.
How many people have died of coronavirus complications in NJ?
There have been 1,932 deaths related to coronavirus in New Jersey. Officials reported 233 new deaths Friday.
Of the 1,700 statewide deaths, 58% were male and 42% were female. One percent were less than 30 years of age, while 45% were over the age of 80. Of those who died, 48% had underlying medical conditions.
The racial breakdown of those who have died in New Jersey is: 64% white, 20% black, 17% were Hispanic, 6% Asian and less than one percent Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Persichilli said.
Where are the coronavirus cases in NJ?
Below is a county-by-county breakdown of coronavirus cases in New Jersey. Get a town-by-town breakdown here.
The latest NJ coronavirus news
Wyckoff Girl Scouts get a shout out
Murphy gave a shout out to the Wyckoff Girl Scouts for helping nurses by sewing headbands to ease the pain caused by the elastic on surgical masks. Read the full story here.
NJ Transit
NJ Transit continues to see rising numbers of its workforce battling the virus, including losing one veteran Raritan Valley Line train conductor to the disease this week.
There are 129 positive cases of coronavirus among the agency's employees, as of Friday, and of those 75 are frontline employees. Another 783 are quarantined. Here's how the head of the agency addressed the crisis at this week's board meeting and updates on other projects the agency is tackling while ridership and service is reduced.
$5 million for local health departments
The New Jersey Department of Health is giving $5 million from federal funds to local health departments in the state. Persichilli called the local health departments the "boots on the ground" that handle contact tracing, and the brunt of the coronavirus work. Read more here.
Insurance grace period extended
Murphy signed an executive order Thursday to extend the grace period for residents who unable to pay insurance premiums because of coronavirus hardships. It requires a minimum 60-day grace period for health and dental insurance policies, and 90-days grace for home and auto insurance, renters insurance, life insurance, insurance premium-financing arrangements, and more. Read more here.
Unemployment sets record again
For the third week in a row a state record was broken on residents filing for unemployment. Read more here.
"No one will be denied one penny of their unemployment benefits," Murphy said.
Murphy says social distancing helping
Though he isn't ready to "spike any footballs" Murphy shared a map indicating that social distancing was slowing the rate of coronavirus. The map shows counties with cases doubling by certain time frames. He said people need to continue to stay home.
"This isn’t about you, or me. It’s about all 9 million of us," he said.
NJ puts more limits on essential retailers
The state will require essential retail stores to limit the numbers of people allowed inside the stores, require customers and employees to wear face coverings and more. Read the full story here.
Nonessential construction banned
On Wednesday, Murphy announced that all nonessential construction in NJ will stop indefinitely beginning at 8 p.m. Friday.
Coronavirus in NJ
How can you get a coronavirus test in NJ?
Due to limited supplies, current state policy is to test “our most vulnerable individuals,” state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli has said.
That includes:
- Hospitalized patients suspected of having COVID-19.
- Symptomatic health care workers who have been exposed.
- Individuals who may be part of a cluster or outbreak, based on close-contact exposure.
- Medically fragile individuals in communal settings.
If you do not have symptoms, you do not need to be tested. If you have mild symptoms, most facilities will not test you.
Here's a list of all of the coronavirus testing sites in New Jersey.
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What restrictions has NJ put in place for social distancing?
Nearly all businesses are closed in the state except those offering essential services. Here's a full list.
All NJ residents have been asked to stay home except to do things like head to the grocery store, seek medical care, visit close family or someone you have a "close personal relationship" with like a romantic partner, report to work or go outside for exercise. And even then, residents should not leave their homes between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Employees still required to go to work include law enforcement officers, firefighters, first responders, cashiers or store clerks, construction workers, utility workers, repair workers, warehouse workers, lab researchers, IT maintenance workers and janitorial and custodial staff.
What you need to know about coronavirus
How can I keep from getting sick?
The CDC recommends simple preventive steps, including:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
What should you do if you think you have coronavirus?
Don't run to the doctor's office – call first!
You should be prepared to answer questions about your symptoms and your risk of exposure to the virus. This is called telephone triage, as the questioner assesses the urgency of your situation. Large health systems and hospitals have scripts for their staff to follow, listing the questions they should ask.
“Anyone who calls in with symptoms of upper respiratory infection, we ask: ‘Do you have fever, chills, and have you traveled?’ ” said Dr. Kennedy Ganti, a primary care physician in Willingboro and a board member of the Medical Society of New Jersey.
How should I treat my illness?
- Stay at home and rest.
- Avoid close contact with people in your house so you won't make them sick.
- Drink plenty of water and other clear liquids to prevent dehydration.
- Treat fever and cough with medicines you can buy at the store.
- Seek prompt medical attention if your illness is worsening (e.g., difficulty breathing).