State officials classified nearly 2,000 deaths of New Jersey residents as “probable” from COVID-19.
Ed Lifshitz, medical director for the state Department of Health, said at the daily briefing on June 25 the state is listing 1,854 deaths as being probably caused by COVID-19 after reviewing death certificates in the state going back to at least March 1. The state documented its first case on March 4.
Combining the probable deaths with the lab confirmed deaths, New Jersey has lost a total of 14,872 residents to the coronavirus as of June 25.
National Problem
Gov. Phil Murphy noted the nation has been grappling with how best to draw a complete picture of COVID-19’s impacts.
“In one day, we are significantly adding to the already weighty toll this pandemic has had on our state, and on so many families,” said Murphy. “We report this out of nothing else than a solemn sense of duty.”
The first-term Democratic governor said officials knew there are those whom a COVID-19 test was never performed, even though the underlying symptoms and causes of death point to the probability that was the cause of death.
Review Procedures
Lifshitz said the determinations of classifying the deaths of COVID-19 could be broken down into three part:
- a fatality that involved a less specific coronavirus test;
- a review of death certificates; and
- deaths during known outbreaks where a person had coronavirus symptoms, particularly long-term care facilities.
Long-term care facilities accounted for just under one-third of the new probable deaths, according to Lifshitz, while the review of the death certificates consumed the most times and accounted for approximately two-thirds of the new classifications.
Going Forward
The state going forward plans to update the probable death figures separately and just once a week. Murphy said this is being done due to current testing protocols and the decreasing number of deaths overall, health officials do not anticipate the number growing significantly in the future.
“For many families, we hope that these determinations will provide a sense of closure, and of finally knowing,” Murphy stated. “For our state, I hope it steels our resolve to do all we can to save every single life we can.”
Daily Data
As of June 25, the cumulative number of coronavirus cases in New Jersey reached 170,196 with 406 new cases and 26 new deaths, bringing that total to 13,018.
Of the total deaths in North Jersey, Essex County has the most with 1,774, followed by Bergen at 1,716, Hudson with 1,273, Passaic at 1,025, Morris at 643, Sussex at 154 and Warren with 144.
State Testing
The daily rate of infections from those tested as of June 21 rose to 3.7%. Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said this may be due to the collection happening on a Sunday, a day which historically has seen a low number of tests. 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 2.3%, the central at 3.9% and the south 5.4%.
The rate of transmission rose for a second straight day to 0.88. Murphy commented that while the rate was still below 1.0, he was concerned it was rising in 16 counties.
Officials reported 1,182 patients are hospitalized with coronavirus—which included 56 new hospitalizations—while 108 patients were discharged. The north tier had 512 patients hospitalized, the central 382 and the south 288.
The daily discharge and new hospitalizations by tier for June 25 was the north charting 26 hospitalizations and 39 discharges, the central having 10 hospitalizations and 30 discharges, and the south reporting 20 hospitalizations and 39 discharges.
Of those hospitalized, 252 are in intensive care units and 210 on ventilators.
Bergen Tops County Count
Bergen has the most cumulative cases in the state with 19,167, followed by Hudson at 18,775, Essex at 18,637, Passaic at 16,819, Middlesex at 16,667, Union at 16,334, Ocean at 9,508, Monmouth at 9,030, Mercer at 7,595, Camden at 7,212, Morris at 6,685, Burlington at 5,084, Somerset at 4,828, Cumberland at 2,917, Atlantic at 2,787, Gloucester at 2,518, Warren at 1,224, Sussex at 1,183, Hunterdon at 1,065, Salem at 751 and Cape May at 704.
Another 706 cases are still under investigation to determine where the person resides.
Demographic Breakdown
The racial breakdown of the record deaths was 54% White, 20% Hispanic, 18% Black, 6% Asian and 2% 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, 56% had cardiovascular disease, 45% diabetes, 31% other chronic diseases, 18% neurological conditions, 17% lung diseases, 15% chronic renal disease, 10% cancer and 14% other. Persichilli has stated most cases have multiple underlying conditions which would push the percentage of 100%.
A census of ages for 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 5% under the age of 49.
State officials are tracking cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children who in turn test positive for COVID-19. One new case was reported June 25, the total reaching 454 for children ranging in age from 1-18. All have tested positive for COVID-19 or have antibodies in their blood. Five are currently hospitalized. No deaths have been reported from the disease.
Persichilli stated “Black and Hispanic children account for a disproportionately high number” on a national scale. While only a small sample, Persichilli reported the racial breakdown in New Jersey was 36% Hispanic, 33% Black, 18% White, 8% Asian and 3% other.
Long-term Care Facilities
Health officials noted 557 long-term care facilities are reporting at least one case of COVID-19 and accounted for 36,337 of the cases, 135 new, broken down between 24,039 residents and 12,208 staff. The state’s official death total will now be reported as those that are lab confirmed, rising by 25 to 6,303 on June 25. The facilities are reporting to the state 6,455 residents deaths and 133 staff deaths.
In a by-county breakdown:
Bergen County
- 63 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 3266 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 1717 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 920 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 11 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Essex County
- 46 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 2175 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 1031 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 567 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 20 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Morris County
- 42 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 1429 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 706 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 482 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 3 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Passaic County
- 25 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 1275 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 759 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 381 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 15 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Hudson County
- 15 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 999 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 534 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 249 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 8 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Sussex County
- 7 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 259 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 148 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 108 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 7 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
Warren County
- 7 Facilities with Outbreaks
- 408 Total Resident Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 135 Total Staff Cases at Long Term Care Facilities
- 118 Resident Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
- 1 Staff Deaths reported by Long Term Care Facilities
