NJ Coronavirus Numbers Better Again, But Bar Lines Anger Murphy

NEW JERSEY — The state's rate of transmission of the coronavirus continued to decrease, dropping back below 1, Gov. Murphy announced Monday. But his frustration with people not wearing masks or social distancing continues to grow, after yet another weekend of long lines at bars and another massive house party.

Murphy even threatened to shut down several Jersey Shore establishments if patrons don't do more to social distance.

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The rate of transmission fell to 0.98 as of Aug. 6, a decrease from 1.41 a week earlier, he said. That means the number of people who are being infected with the coronavirus by another person is fewer than one person, a sign that the spread of the virus is slowing.

New Jersey has 258 new positive cases, giving the state 185,031 residents who have tested positive since the state's first case in the pandemic on March 4. The positivity rate was 1.62 on Aug. 6, a decrease over the previous day, he said.

Hospitalizations as of Sunday evening were down to 545 people, with 285 of them with confirmed COVID-19 cases, and 260 under investigation for the virus. There were 83 people in intensive care and 29 on ventilators, both of those the lowest they have been in weeks. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, School Reopen Updates: What You Need To Know

There are 14,025 lab-confirmed deaths in the state due to effects of the coronavirus, and 1,853 deaths where the virus is considered the probable cause.

But Murphy expressed concerns that efforts to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 are threatened by the big crowds of maskless young people seen waiting to get into Jersey Shore bars over the weekend. "This virus could have easily spread, just standing in line," he said.

"Standing around maskless outside a bar is just as big a knucklehead move as standing around maskless inside one," Murphy said. He warned that a failure to comply would force action.

"If we have to shut places down to protect public health we will," he said.

Murphy also addressed a "pop-up" pool party that drew more than 300 to a Howell home on Sunday. Law enforcement officers from eight agencies joined in the effort to disperse the partygoers, but the party was just another in a string of such parties, including one that drew more than 700 people in Jackson and one in Brick that drew more than 400.

"C'mon, man! This can’t go on," Murphy said.

"No one should look at that (lowered transmission rate) and think it means coronavirus is no longer with us, or that you could go ahead and leave your mask at home, or join a big crowd waiting to get into a bar with your friends," Murphy said.

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