5 Big Signs Of Progress In NJ Coronavirus Outbreak

NEW JERSEY – If you're looking for a "sign' that things are getting better in New Jersey, here's five of them.

New Jersey has gotten five big signals this past week indicating the state's 8 million residents may finally be seeing the "light at the end of the tunnel" in the month-long coronavirus crisis that has shut down the economy and schools (see below).

The hospitalization rate is going down. The ability to get a test is getting easier. And, perhaps more importantly, Gov. Phil Murphy is starting to suggest ways that New Jersey can reopen the state's economy.

Murphy seemed to take an initial step in that direction Saturday when he reopened marinas – as long as social distancing measures stay in place. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ Marinas Will Be Open During Coronavirus Crisis

The improving numbers even have Murphy holding out hope for something that seemed almost impossible just a week ago: Students could return to school perhaps as early as May 15. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ Schools Shut Through May 15 In Coronavirus Crisis

School officials are even considering putting together an abbreviated sports schedule that could spread out games over a month. Read more: NJSIAA Hopes For Short Spring Sports Season Amid Coronavirus

Indeed, the number of cases continue to rise every day, now at 85,301 statewide, and 4,202 people have died. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

But here are some signs that things are likely getting better in New Jersey:

Discharges going way up

This past week, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said more than 6,000 people have now been discharged since April 4, and for the first time, the discharge rate exceeded the admittance rate on Friday.

"While the numbers we report every day are grim, over 6,000 discharges serves as a reminder that people are getting better and they are overcoming this illness," Persichilli said.

Murphy presented a graph this week that showed the hospitalization rate took a big dive while discharges steadily rose:

Testing access getting easier

When the testing centers at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel and Bergen Community College in Paramus opened, the lines were so long that the sites closed about an hour after they started letting cars in.

But on Sunday, Murphy announced that the Bergen site was still open with 200-plus remaining tests for symptomatic New Jersey residents.

Rapid testing

A groundbreaking saliva test for the new coronavirus developed by researchers at Rutgers University's Human Genetics Institute — one that uses patients' spit samples instead of a painful nasal swab — was granted approval from the Food and Drug Administration and went into use this past week in New Jersey.

For the first time anywhere in the United States, the saliva tests are being offered to the general public at the Edison Motor Vehicle Commission test site on Kilmer Road. Read more: NJ Site First In U.S. To Offer Drive-Thru Coronavirus Saliva Test

Doubling rates are slowing

During the Friday news conference, Murphy displayed a map showing the rate of cases slowing almost everywhere in New Jersey, now doubling in 20 counties every seven days or more. Here was the Friday map:

Below was the map on April 9, just eight days earlier. This map shows 12 counties in dark "orange," meaning that the amount of infected residents in those areas was doubling every three to five days:

Multi-state council formed to reopen the economy

On Sunday, Murphy joined NY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Ct. Gov. Ned Lamont, Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf, Del. Gov. John Carney, R.I. Gov. Gina Raimondo and Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker in announcing their appointees to the multi-state council to restore the economy and "get people back to work."

The appointees include one health expert, one economic development expert and the respective chief of staff from each state.

The appointees from New Jersey are:

• George Helmy, chief of staff to the governor
• Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Jeh Johnson, who served as secretary of the U.S. Department Homeland Security under President Barack Obama

"No one has given more thought or is more eager to restart our economy than I am, but if we don't get the sequencing right, we put more lives at risk," Murphy said. "The only path to a sustainable economic recovery is through a strong healthcare recovery."

"A coordinated, regional approach, informed by a multi-state council of experts, will help us avoid a major setback with potentially disastrous consequences. I look forward to the day when the facts on the ground allow us to ease our restrictions and move our regional economy forward."

Also:

• People are also starting to share their stories of recovery, and how they managed to get through it. Read more: West Orange 9/11 Survivor Beats Coronavirus, 'Will Never Forget'
• Hospitals are sharing footage of people being discharged, and the celebrations that ensure. Read more: Workers At Saint Barnabas Hospital Earn 'Heroes Salute' (VIDEOS)
• Similar "signs" of hope have been buoying hospital staffs that have been overworked and at risk during the crisis. Read more: Signs Of Hope Buoy Ocean Medical Center Staff Amid Coronavirus