Hoboken Kids -- Watch Out Your Window For the Bunny!

HOBOKEN, NJ — The Easter bunny will hop a ride around Hoboken on Saturday afternoon, and families can watch safely from their windows, or (if they keep away from others) on their stoops.

Mayor Ravi Bhalla reminded families not to congregate outside of their home, an effort to continue social distancing to slow the spread of coronavirus that is overwhelming hospitals.

"Starting at 2 p.m., the Easter Bunny will be leaving the Hoboken Police Department Headquarters and begin going up north on Washington Street," Bhalla said, "then make away around the Tea Building and Shipyard area before heading south down Hudson Street, then down River Street around Sinatra Drive South. The bunny will then hop on over to Bloomfield Street to go north, then south down Garden, etc. and crisscross the City on north/south streets."

He added, "For the bunny’s real time location, follow along live on Saturday at Councilwoman Emily Jabbour’s social media feeds (Twitter: @hobokenemily and Facebook: facebook.com/HobokenEmily). Thanks to the Councilwoman, the Hoboken Police Department, and to residents Diane Sanches Branco and Darby Vinciguerra for putting this event together!"

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The mayor also announced sad news — two more seniors died of coronavirus in Hoboken in the last 24 hours, a male in his mid 60s and a female in her 70s. They are part of 15 community members lost so far in the mile-square city.

Seniors, particularly those living in close quarters, have been hard hit in the Garden State, and Friday Gov. Phil Murphy faced tough questions about whether the state is protecting those in New Jersey's long-term care facilities, and whether they are announcing which facilities have residents with the virus. It was announced Thursday that 10 seniors died in a veterans' home in Paramus, and five in another home nearby.

In the last 24 hours, a New Jersey resident has died of coronavirus approximately every six minutes.

In New Jersey, 1,932 people have died from the virus as of Friday. 233 had died in the past 24 hours. Read more here.

Feed Hoboken's first responders

In his message Friday night, Bhalla also cited FLAG (Front Line Appreciation Group), a group to recognize Hoboken and Jersey City emergency workers, founded by volunteers in Hoboken. The volunteers help feed first responders in conjunction with numerous local businesses.

They will conduct a virtual fundraiser Saturday evening with a kids' hour, virtual dance party, and virtual auction. Follow FLAG on Facebook for more.

You can read more of the mayor's Friday night message here.

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Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

Experts say that the novel coronavirus, because it's new, is more lethal and much harder to treat than the flu. Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

Have a Hoboken news tip or idea, or just want to reach out? Email caren.lissner@Patch.com. To keep up with local breaking news and get a free morning newsletter with local stories, sign up here.