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Coronavirus Updates: NJ Cases Soar, Qualifying State For Quarantine List
By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 16, 2020
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Edwin J. Torres/ Governor’s Office
By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 16, 2020
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This is our daily update of breaking COVID-19 news for Friday, October 16th, 2020. Previous daily updates can be found here, and up-to-date statistics are here.
New York City is in Phase 4 of reopening now, which includes zoos, botanical gardens, museums, and gyms. Certain parts of Brooklyn and Queens are under a zoned shutdown. A look at preparing for the spread of coronavirus is here, and if you have lingering questions about the virus, here is our regularly updated coronavirus FAQ. Here are some local and state hotlines for more information: NYC: 311; NY State Hotline: 888-364-3065; NJ State Hotline: 800-222-1222.
Here's the latest:
- Six NYC Virus Hotspots Now Show Slowing Transmission
- CUNY Grapples With Devastating Budget Cuts: “People Are Freaking Out Or Getting Fired”
- "Safe Outdoor Markets Can Serve As A Nostalgic Band-Aid For Now": Queens Night Market Returns To Rock Center
In what now appears to be growing outbreaks across the state, New Jersey on Thursday reported more than 900 new coronavirus cases for a third day in a row and a daily positivity rate of 4.35%.
The sustained increase in cases has made New Jersey travelers eligible for 14-day quarantine requirements mandated by many states, including New York and Connecticut.
Massachusetts added New Jersey to its list on October 2nd.
“Frankly, the conclusion I draw is don’t travel, don’t travel unless you have to," said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, during a briefing in Trenton on Thursday. “We’re not going to spend a lot of time complaining about whether or not we’re on somebody’s list. We’re going to spend all our time working to get our numbers down.”
Murphy warned that the number of COVID-19 cases are rising across the state, not just in certain hot spots – and is urging residents to keep taking safety precautions.
“There may be hot spots here or there but we're dealing with a statewide reality right now,” he said.
The number of coronavirus hospitalizations has more than doubled to 733 in the last six weeks.
While the surge in cases was initially attributed to spikes in Ocean County and particularly in Lakewood, state officials said there are now signs of increasing community spread across all regions.
For the third day in a row, the state reported nearly 1,000 new cases, with Ocean, Bergen and Essex counties each reporting more than 100 new infections.
Health officials attribute the increase to several small clusters inside nursing homes, workplaces, schools and indoor gatherings.
Twenty-two outbreaks have also been reported in public schools, with 83 cases among students and staff. That’s out of 3,000 buildings across more than 500 school districts. There are also 150 active outbreaks among the state’s nursing homes.
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covid-19 updates
coronavirus
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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