Gov. Murphy: NJ's Biggest 2-Day Coronavirus Case Total In A Month

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy, speaking during a Friday news conference, reported that New Jersey had its biggest two-day coronavirus case total in a month. He suggested the spike likely occurred because more than half of the state's contact tracing efforts have failed, just as he announced 518 new cases and nine more deaths (you can watch the news conference here, below).

The total is the second day in a row that New Jersey had more than 500 cases, the first time that's also happened in a month. The two-day total of 1,025 is the most since New Jersey had 1,049 on Aug. 14 and 15 (see daily case totals below).

Since May, New Jersey has averaged 300 to 400 new cases a day. Murphy has not addressed whether his efforts to reopen the Garden State's economy and schools had anything to do with what he called "significant numbers."

"While we're still generally among the very best states in America, we are not out of the woods," Murphy said.

Murphy said 18 percent of those contacted by tracers, after cases are discovered, don't take the call. Even worse, he said, 59 percent are refusing to cooperate and provide contacts.

The governor said the community contact tracing core "is not existing in isolation. It's not an abstract exercise." He said the responsibility of the tracers is to track an outbreak and quarantine those who may be infected as a way to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

"It is to get to the nub of any outbreak and to prevent not only some of the big numbers certainly we've seen in the past, but we're going to show you some fairly significant numbers today," Murphy said.

The update comes as the number of cases has risen to 195,888, and 14,234 confirmed deaths have been reported. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, School Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Murphy said the state just added 66 contact tracers, giving New Jersey a total of 1,835 on the ground. That means there are 21 tracers for every 100,000 residents, exceeding the state's goal of 15 per capita.

"We can say with confidence that we have the team in place to respond to the new cases as they come in," Murphy said.

State officials, however, say that the rising numbers among those between the ages of 19 and 24 — an age group that has a positivity rate that's three times the statewide number — could be connected to the contact tracing issues.

Murphy said parents don't want to "rat out" their kids and friends don't want to do the same to each other.

People are also afraid to leave work, or they're afraid they can't take care of their children, if they have to quarantine, officials said. Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said New Jersey will gladly connect people to social services if they run into these issues.

Murphy said the contact tracers only job is "to protect public health" and they're not engaging in a "witch hunt" to find out if anybody's holding illegal parties in a basement.

Besides tracing the outbreak, Murphy said, they're merely trying to find out if people have a safe place to isolate, among other related things, particularly if they have special needs or underlying conditions.

"Having contact tracers at the ready is only one half of the equation," he said. "The other half is you, folks."

Murphy also discussed two new bills he signed to help reduce driver's license and Motor Vehicle delays amid COVID-19. Read more: Gov. Murphy Signs 2 Laws To Get NJ Drivers Out Of Long MVC Lines

Watch Murphy here:

Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day:

• 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:

• 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

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