Hoboken Sees Highest One-Day Total Of New Coronavirus Cases

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said Sunday that the Hoboken Police Department had doled out six fines of up to $1,000 to people throwing house parties over the weekend, under a recently passed city ordinance meant to curb indoor transmission of coronavirus.

Bhalla also said that 27 new cases of Hoboken residents with the virus were confirmed on Thursday, the highest one-day total since the beginning of the pandemic. The day before, the Health Department had reported 19 new cases, Bhalla said. This brings the total of residents testing positive in this city of 53,000 people to 1,197 since March.

A total of 31 Hoboken residents have passed away from coronavirus, with the last in May.

Doctors have said that a number of factors are contributing to the drop in the death rate, including people getting test results (and thus treatment) sooner, and doctors learning more about how to treat the virus. However, the virus still can have long-term effects.

In fact, the mayor said that 17 people are fighting the virus at Hoboken University Medical Center right now, including six Hoboken residents — up from two last week.

Over the weekend, the state of New Jersey similarly said it had confirmed the highest number of new cases since in April. On Sunday, the State of New Jersey reported 18 new fatalities since the day before, and a record high of 4,540 new cases, following 4,395 positive cases on Saturday. Before that, the highest one-day total was 4,391 on April 17.

Bhalla said, "The seven-day average of new cases in New Jersey is 3,198, up 50 percent from one week ago."

Bhalla said, regarding the fines over the weekend, "Unfortunately, certain individuals in our community are still disregarding the health and safety of our community by hosting house parties. The Hoboken Police Department is no longer giving warnings ... and gave out six violations for 'disorderly house' that include up to a $1,000 fine. The city will recommend to the municipal prosecutor that the maximum fine be given."

Some schools to go remote

Bhalla also noted that the Hoboken public schools will temporarily go remote for the week after Thanksgiving vacation.

In addition, one grade at the middle school, and a section of another grade, are also going remote temporarily as of this week; see this story for more information.

Hoboken was one of the first cities in the region to begin closing facilities when the virus began spreading in the U.S.

In June, after months of closures and isolation, the city went a week with only one case, and in August, there were only six cases in one week. But cases began rising in autumn with more gatherings.

Here is more information on Hoboken coronavirus testing, statistics, schools, and more:

CORONAVIRUS TESTING IN HOBOKEN

• Prompt MD has added additional testing. Proof of residency or employment at a Hoboken business is required at the time of testing. Results are anticipated within 24-48 hours of testing. http://www.hobokennj.gov/promptmd.
• Riverside Medical is also continuing testing for Hoboken residents at the pop-up site under the 14th Street Viaduct six days a week. Appointments can be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis by visiting http://www.hobokennj.gov/riverside. If a resident has signed up for a test with Riverside but can no longer make it, please call 201-863-3346 to cancel the appointment.
• A covid-19 test is recommended at least 5-7 days after a potential exposure, and that many who have contracted the virus do not have symptoms. Receiving a COVID-19 test prior to the 5-7 days after a potential exposure may yield inaccurate results.
• If returning from a state on New Jersey's quarantine list or have had a high-risk exposure, which includes contact of over 10 minutes to someone who has tested positive, living in the same household as someone with COVID-19 or attending a large indoor gathering without face masks, residents should self-quarantine for the full 14 days, even with a negative test result, the city says.
• If a resident or Hoboken business employee does not have insurance, the city will pay for the cost of a test through both testing sites.

HOBOKEN SCHOOLS

• The schools will go remote for one week after Thanksgiving break. Also, the eighth grade at Hoboken Middle School has temporarily gone remote. Read more here.
• Hoboken's Wallace Primary School recently closed temporarily after two student cases were confirmed.
• Mayor Bhalla wrote a week ago, "Our Health Department has confirmed that our schools are taking every possible safety measure to keep our children safe, and that there is little evidence that the schools themselves are the reason for covid-19 spread, as opposed to behavior outside the school."
• Recently, one of the city's charter schools, Elysian Charter, closed temporarily because a student tested positive for the virus.
• The Hoboken public schools reopened Monday, Sept. 14 remotely, and reopened on-site Sept. 21 for those who requested it.
• The district offered a reopening plan giving parents a choice of either full-time on-site learning (until 3 p.m.) or full-time distance learning. In the buildings, there are restrictions, such as kids wearing masks and maintaining a 6-foot distance.

LOCAL BUSINESS

• More than 50 of the city's restaurants opened the week of June 15 for outdoor dining. READ MORE.
• Some of those have added "streateries" for outdoor dining. READ MORE.
• The city of Hoboken is making it easier for restaurants to continue to offer outdoor dining through the winter months.
• Two of the city's weekly farmers' markets reopened in June. READ MORE.
• The city has been closing off certain blocks for businesses to expand and draw foot traffic. READ MORE.
• Restaurants in New Jersey can allow indoor dining at 25 percent capacity, and keep serving indoors until 10 p.m. Read more about Hoboken indoor dining here.

HOBOKEN LIBRARY

• See story here.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

• During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.
• The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.
• New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.
• Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.
• Programs are being added constantly, so don't think you can't get help. Reach out to your local mayor's office to find out what kind of funds may be available to help you get through this time.

LONG-TERM CARE

• Recently, there were 159 long term care facilities with active outbreaks, the state Department of Health said this month. The state also announced that deaths at the facilities had more than doubled since May 1. The state has stopped updating the numbers at facilities without current outbreaks.
• New Jersey residents were already alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities. The state announced plans in May to increase testing at some long term care facilities and to bring in the National Guard temporarily to help make changes.
• The state released death toll statistics late in spring for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.
• You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.
• Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.

PAST LOCAL AND NATIONAL STATISTICS

• Bhalla had said on Tuesday, Oct. 20, that 22 Hoboken residents had been confirmed as testing positive for coronavirus in a four-day period from Friday to Monday inclusive, for a total of 890 cases in residents since the start of the pandemic. Bhalla said that cases were rising again partly due to indoor social gatherings.
• More than 235,000 Americans and 14,500 people in New Jersey have died from the virus.
At the height of the crisis in New Jersey on April 30, 460 people passed away in 24 hours.

• More than 900 health care workers have died of the virus nationally. Others are simultaneously fighting misinformation and hoaxes as they try to fight the virus.

• Mayor Bhalla recent cautioned residents about indoor birthday parties and traveling to Ocean and Monmouth counties. Story here.
• For an earlier story about Hoboken coronavirus statistics and updates, click here.
• See earlier data here.
• Here are past statistics on Hoboken residents under 16 testing positive for the virus.

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

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