Murphy: COVID-19 outbreak is stabilizing in New Jersey
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey's COVID-19 outbreak is stabilizing, with the number of patients leaving hospitals outpacing those being admitted, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday.
Despite the stabilization, 177 more people died since Sunday's update, bringing the death toll to 4,377, Murphy said. There are nearly 89,000 people with the coronavirus, he added.
There's growing evidence that social distancing is helping contain the virus, according to the governor. It now takes three weeks for the number of cases to double in northern New Jersey, up from just three days over the last few weeks.
For the first time, the number of people discharged from the hospital — 583 — outpaced newly admitted COVID-19 patients, which stood at about 460.
A look at other coronavirus developments in New Jersey:
NEXT STEPS
Benchmarks to reopen the state's economy will be coming in a number of days, the governor said. Murphy is allying with neighboring states to coordinate restarting the economy.
More testing will be needed, among other things, Murphy said Monday.
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NURSING HOMES
The state has begun posting data online on the state's nursing homes, which have been hard hit.
All of the state's roughly 400 facilities have at least one positive coronavirus cases. There have been about 1,700 deaths at these facilities, or about 40% of the death toll.
The state's largest nursing home, which was at the center of news reports last week after police said 18 bodies were found in a makeshift morgue, is being required by the state to hire consultants in nursing, infectious disease and administration, Health Commissioner Judy Persichili said.
The Andover Subacute Reahab Centers 1 and 2 have had 39 COVID-19-related deaths, according to state Health Department data. That's tied for the highest death toll at a nursing home facility in the state. The other facility is the Veterans Memorial Home in Paramus.
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VIKINGS OWNER DONATIONS
The family that owns the Minnesota Vikings has increased its donations to COVID-19-related causes to more than $5 million.
New York and New Jersey residents Zygi, Mark and Lenny Wilf announced Monday that the bulk of the money has been earmarked to support health care workers, the elderly, food banks, social service organizations and Jewish philanthropic causes in New York, New Jersey, Minnesota and Israel.
Among the organizations receiving help are United Way Worldwide, the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, RWJBarnabas Health, Jewish Federations of North America, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Second Harvest Heartland, Minnesota Disaster Recovery Fund for Coronavirus and Vikings.1rmg.com.
"We are focused on trying to provide as many resources as possible to meet their needs and assist some of the most vulnerable populations during this unprecedented time," Vikings owner/chairman Zygi Wilf said.
The family made an initial donation of $500,000 last month.
United Way Worldwide is one of six national charitable organizations recommended by the NFL as part of its Draft-A-Thon fundraising campaign tied to this week's NFL draft
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ABOUT THE VIRUS
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple of weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are at higher risk of more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.