Professional sports teams who call New Jersey home are allowed to practice and compete of the field of play when their leagues resume.
“Our administration has been in constant discussions with our professional sports teams about a modified return to operations,” said Gov. Phil Murphy at his coronavirus press briefing May 26. “While leagues make their own decisions about operations, I am confident that teams are equipped to practice and eventually play in a responsible manner, protecting the health and safety of players, coaches, and team personnel.”
The order explicitly allowed professional athletes which train and/or play in New Jersey to fulfill their job duties. Pro teams can utilize their New Jersey-based facilities for practice, training, and other purposes where team personnel have to be on location and cannot work remotely.
Basketball, Hockey Sites
The move allows for the two NHL teams with practice facilities in the state— New Jersey Devils in Newark and Philadelphia Flyers in Voorhees—to resume practice when their season resumes as well as the Philadelphia 76ers in Camden when NBA league operations ramp up.
Additionally, the announcement paves the way for the New York Football Giants and New York Jets to get their practice facilities ready in East Rutherford and Florham Park, respectively, as well as the MLS’ Red Bulls who call Harrison home.
Murphy said he has been in contact with all the owners who base their operations in New Jersey as well as commissioners of their leagues.
The first-term governor noted the professional aspect of support staff allows for the return as compared to local youth programs.
Daily Data
As of May 26, the cumulative number of coronavirus cases in New Jersey reached 155,704 with 703 new cases and 54 new deaths, bringing that total to 11,171.
Murphy noted the numbers were most likely distorted by the Memorial Day weekend but was still encouraged they “are moving in the right direction.”
Of the total deaths in North Jersey, Essex County has the most with 1,605, followed by Bergen with 1,528, Hudson at 1,143, Passaic at 892, Morris at 595, Sussex at 145 and Warren with 128.
State Testing
The daily rate of infections from those tested as of May 12 rests at 5%. The state is no longer using serology tests as health officials explained those results show a past presence of the disease as well as a current one. By region, the north tested at 4%, the central at 5% and the south 6%.
Officials reported 2,723 patients are hospitalized with coronavirus—which included 134 new hospitalizations—while 131 patients were discharged. The north tier had 1,330 patients hospitalized, the central 705 and the south 638.
Officials broke down by tier the daily discharge and new hospitalizations. For May 26, the north reported 82 new hospitalizations and 61 discharges, the central 21 hospitalizations and 32 discharges, and the south 31 hospitalizations and 38 discharges.
Of those hospitalized, 786 are in intensive care units and 578 on ventilators. There are currently 45 patients in field hospitals, with 469 treated overall.
Hudson Tops County Count
Hudson has the most cumulative cases in the state with 18,096 followed by Bergen at 17,963, Essex at 17,255, Passaic at 15,826, Middlesex at 15,499, Union at 15,293, Ocean at 8,462, Monmouth at 7,911, Mercer at 6,544, Morris at 6,279, Camden at 6,171, Somerset at 4,489, Burlington at 4,381, Gloucester at 2,103, Atlantic at 2,049, Cumberland at 2,024, Warren at 1,136, Sussex at 1,089, Hunterdon at 967, Salem at 573 and Cape May at 571.
Another 1,083 cases are still under investigation to determine where the person resides.
The amount of days it takes for a county to double its cases is past a month for all but one of the 21 counties in the state.
State officials are tracking cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children, many patients of which have COVID-19. As of May 26, 19 cases were reported for children ranging in age from 1-18. Of the 19, 15 tested positive for COVID-19. No deaths have been reported from the disease.
Demographic Breakdown
The racial breakdown of the recored deaths was 53% White, 19% Black, 19% Hispanic, 5% Asian and 3% another race. Murphy has noted the rates in the black and Hispanic communities are running about 50% more than their population in the state.
In regards to the underlying disease of those who have passed, 59% had cardiovascular disease, 43% diabetes, 32% other chronic diseases, 17% neurological conditions, 15% chronic renal disease, 10% cancer and 14% other.
A census of ages for 9,941 confirmed deaths shows 47% of deaths are of those 80 year old and up, 33% in the range of 65-80, 16% between 50-65 and 4% under the age of 49.
Long-term Care Facilities
Health officials noted 536 long-term care facilities are reporting at least one case of COVID-19 and accounted for 30,714 of the cases, broken down between 20,927 residents and 9,787 staff. The state’s official death total will now be reported as those that are lab confirmed, which was 4,793 on May 26. The facilities are reporting to the state 5,684 residents deaths and 101 staff deaths.
In a by-county breakdown:
Bergen County
- 63 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 3024 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 1471 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 894 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 10 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Essex County
- 46 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 2032 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 848 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 532 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 19 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Morris County
- 42 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 1297 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 585 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 444 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 3 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Passaic County
- 25 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 1057 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 615 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 326 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 13 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Hudson County
- 15 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 713 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 388 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 186 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 7 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Warren County
- 7 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 401 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 112 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 106 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 1 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Sussex County
- 5 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 244 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 117 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 101 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 4 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
