NJ Tops 1K Daily COVID-19 Cases Again But No Reopening ‘Reversal’

NEW JERSEY — For the second straight day, there were more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases reported in New Jersey on Monday. It is the third time this month there have been more than 1,000 new cases after the state went an entire summer without such a climb.

But during his Monday news conference, Gov. Phil Murphy said the state's reopening plans won't be stopped.

Murphy announced an additional 1,192 cases and four new deaths on Monday. There have now been 221,205 total cases and 14,425 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

On Sunday, there were 1,282 new cases and seven new deaths. On Oct. 8, New Jersey reported 1,301 new cases, the highest number of new single-day cases since just after Memorial Day (see list of cases below).

Despite these numbers, Murphy said there isn't enough evidence to reverse the state's plans to reopen.

"We don't have the evidence of the things that can be enforced and regulated," Murphy said. "We don't have the evidence that right now that can lead to our reversing."

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli the state remains at "moderate risk" of transmission amid the coronavirus crisis. But if the Garden State gets any worse, she said, New Jersey's solution will be "increased testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantining."

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New Jersey hospitals were treating 758 patients for the coronavirus on Sunday, including 579 who had tested positive for the virus. Another 179 people were under investigation. According to Murphy, 166 patients were in intensive care and 62 were on ventilators.

The state is constantly reviewing each hospital's PPE stockpile, bed availability, and have maintained their waivers as far as expanding the number of beds each hospital has. The state is also continuing to work with hospitals on staffing, including emergency staffing. The state never stopped working with hospitals since the beginning of the pandemic.

The positivity rate for all cases reported on Thursday was 3.36 percent, and the rate of transmission statewide was 1.14.

"While these numbers are a far cry from where we were at our springtime peaks, they are also significantly higher than where we were throughout much of the summer and until just a few weeks ago," Murphy said. "Many of the new cases we are tracking are coming not from schools or businesses, but from party gatherings inside private homes. Especially as the cooler weather pulls us back inside, we must remain extra vigilant."

Five counties exceeded 100 cases, including:

• Ocean County: 154
• Essex County: 132
• Union County: 109
• Middlesex County: 108
• Bergen County: 103

"It's pretty clear this is up and down the state," Murphy said. "The cold weather is not our ally. Unfortunately, it's driving more activity indoors."

Murphy and Persichilli both stressed the importance of staying outdoors in order to stop the spread of the virus. Along those lines, the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control announced it is extending special outdoor liquor license permits for outdoor dining through the end of March for a $10 fee.

"For many of our residents, the ability to serve liquor to their customers beyond their normal premises has been meaningful and in some cases, life-saving for them and helped them survive during these challenging times," Murphy said. "We are wargaming potential steps we can take whether it's indoor or outdoor or both to try to relieve some of this burden without adding to our already rising numbers. We don't have any evidence that indoor dining is contributing to this."

He said the state wants to help its restaurants, but it also needs to make sure everyone is doing their part to prevent the further spread of the virus. The capacities that are contributing to the higher numbers are those that are beyond the state's ability to enforce, he said.

"We need more federal money, and that industry would be an obvious beneficiary from it," Murphy said. "We don't want to have to take a step and then lurch backward. There's too much investment, too much planning involved."

The upward trend began about a month ago, according to Persichilli. As of Sept. 15, new case numbers were in the 300s before they began to climb to 500 or 600.

"Now, daily case reports have doubled in the last month, and we are up as high as 1,000 a day," Persichilli said."This trend is similar to what the nation is experiencing. "We are seeing more widespread cases throughout the state due to community spread, and not any single event or reopening step."

"I know we are all tired of COVID-19 and all the precautions necessary to prevent the spread of the disease and the restrictions we have endured," Persichilli said. "But as we approach the holiday season, now is the time to double down. Now is not the time to let your guard down. The virus has not stopped circulating."

Officials didn't say whether they believed the state was nearing the end of the first wave or if the second wave has begun. Persichilli said they never considered the first wave to be over.

"The fact is that we've got a lot of activity going on right now," Tan said. "What's most important is making sure that we maintain vigilance."

New Jersey has already received its first batch of rapid tests, and about 175,000 tests have been deployed, mainly to Ocean County, officials said. Persichilli said that she hopes to have more deployed to institutions of higher education and some school districts by Oct. 26.

"I actually took that test for the first time this morning," Murphy said. "It's exactly what they said it was. I had an answer in 15 minutes."

Here are the daily cases since the crisis began:

• October 19: 1,192
• October 18: 1,282
• October 17: 958
• October 16: 823
• October 15: 973
• October 14: 953
• October 13: 993
• October 12: 478
• October 11: 751
• October 10: 901
• October 9: 881
• October 8: 1,301
• October 7: 514
• October 6: 651
• 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 19: 4
• October 18: 7
• October 17: 2
• October 16: 5
• October 15: 6
• October 14: 9
• October 13: 7
• October 12: 1
• October 11: 3
• October 10: 7
• October 9: 6
• October 8: 11
• October 7: 4
• October 6: 9
• 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