Essex County Hospitals See Patient Surge; COVID-19 Cases Rise

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Hospitals across Essex County are seeing a surge in patients infected with the coronavirus as one of the hardest-hit areas of the state tries to cope with rising case totals, officials say.

During a Thursday news conference, state officials said at least six New Jersey hospitals have been on partial "divert" status as they deal with too many coronavirus cases. The list included East Orange General Hospital and Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark.

"Divert" status usually means that hospitals send notice to incoming ambulances to bring patients to other local medical care facilities. A hospital goes on diversion when there are not enough beds or staff available in the emergency room, or the hospital itself, to adequately care for patients. READ MORE: At Least 6 NJ Hospitals On 'Divert' Status As COVID-19 Cases Rise

Gov. Phil Murphy said hospitals will likely to continue having issues as the second wave continues.

"The next three days are going to be tough, particularly on cases and on hospitalizations," he said.

Earlier this week, RWJBarnabas Health – which runs Newark Beth Israel, Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, and Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville – announced that its hospitals across the state have seen a steady increase in the number of patients being hospitalized with COVID-19.

“At this time, our hospitals in the northern region, including those in Essex County, are seeing the greater increase in COVID patient volume,” a spokesperson said. READ MORE: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Up Across NJ As Second Wave Hits

The spokesperson added:

“An upward trending of positive COVID cases in the late fall and winter had been predicted, and our facilities are well prepared to handle the influx. We have been stockpiling personal protective equipment and medications; we have developed a re-distribution plan for staffing and have contracted for additional nurses; and we have also increased testing capacity enabling us to rapidly diagnose those with COVID and separate them from other patients.”

In late October, Shereef Elnahal, the CEO of University Hospital in Newark and the former commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, warned that "our second wave has begun."

Last week, Elnahal told WYNC that he still worries about having enough staff if cases peak, although the hospital is stocked up on supplies and is better able to treat the disease.

“The entire country may be requesting the limited group of heroes who helped us and so we're going to be competing with hospitals across the country for staffing,” he said.

• See related article: Coronavirus Cases Rise In Essex County: 'Our 2nd Wave Has Begun'

As of Thursday, Essex County led the state in cumulative COVID-19 cases and deaths linked to the disease.

This article contains previous reporting by Tom Davis and Carly Baldwin

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