New Jersey in its weekly update added five states to its COVID-19 travel advisory list as new infection cases were over 400 for the 11th time in the last 14 days and all 21 counties now have at least a 1,000 cases cumulatively.
The updated advisory includes five additional states—Arizona, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Wyoming—bringing the total to 35 states and territories. The travel advisory applies to any person arriving from a state or territory with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average.
As of Sept. 22, these are the states and territories besides the five new additions meeting the criteria: Alabama; Alaska; Arkansas; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Guam; Iowa; Idaho; Indiana; Illinois; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Missouri; Mississippi; Montana; North Carolina; North Dakota; Nebraska; Oklahoma; Puerto Rico; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Virginia; Wisconsin; and West Virginia.
Get Test, Self-quarantine
“To maintain our steady progress on the road back, we must continue to be vigilant and practice personal responsibility to reduce the potential for outbreaks,” said Gov. Phil Murphy in a press statement. “It remains critically important for anyone arriving to New Jersey from these 35 states and territories to get tested for COVID-19 and self-quarantine for 14 days.”
The advisory asks individuals traveling to New Jersey from states or territories with significant community spread of COVID-19 to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or territory.
Travelers and those residents who are returning from impacted states should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodging. Individuals should leave the place of self-quarantine only to seek medical care/treatment or to obtain food and other essential items.
Daily Data
As of Sept. 22, the cumulative number of coronavirus cases in New Jersey reached 200,580 with 457 new cases and seven new deaths, bringing that total to 14,285. The state probable death count is 1,791, bringing the overall total to 16,076.
State officials noted four deaths occurred in the last 24 hours of reporting that have not yet been lab confirmed.
Of the total confirmed deaths in North Jersey, Essex County has the most with 1,897, followed by Bergen at 1,801, Hudson with 1,353, Passaic at 1,110, Morris at 686, Sussex at 161 and Warren with 158.
In regards to probable deaths, Bergen has 243, Essex has 229, Hudson has 160, Morris at 145, Passaic at 143, Sussex has 37 and Warren has 13.
State Testing
The daily rate of infections from those tested as of Sept. 17 was 1.8%. By region, the north has a rate of 1.3%, central at 2.2% and the south at 2.5%. 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.
As for the rate of transmission, it increased to 1.13 from 1.12 the day before. Murphy has noted the increase is a result of the uptick in positive tests. Officials have continually cited transmission rate and positivity rate as health data they rely on to track how the coronavirus is being contained in New Jersey, guiding them in determining when restrictions have to be tightened or lifted.
Officials reported 417 patients are hospitalized, with 80 in intensive care units and 34 on ventilators, while 15 patients were discharged.
Bergen Tops County Count
Bergen has the most cumulative cases in the state with 22,251, followed by Essex at 20,874, Hudson at 20,540, Middlesex at 19,158, Passaic at 18,846, Union at 17,505, Ocean at 12,382, Monmouth at 11,584, Camden at 9,784, Mercer at 8,583, Morris at 7,775, Burlington at 6,974, Somerset at 5,709, Gloucester at 4,358, Atlantic at 3,983, Cumberland at 3,749, Sussex at 1,456, Warren at 1,436, Hunterdon at 1,292, Salem at 1,047 and Cape May at 1,004.
Another 326 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. Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli has stated most cases have multiple underlying conditions which would push the percentage of 100%.
A census of ages for confirmed deaths shows 48% of deaths are of those 80 year old and up, 31% in the range of 65-80, 16% between 50-65 and 5% under the age of 49.
Long-term Care Facilities
Health officials noted 158 long-term care facilities are currently reporting at least one case of COVID-19, accounting for a total of 7,027 of the cases, broken down between 4,346 residents and 2,681 staff.
Cumulatively, 706 long-term care facilities reported a case infecting 25,037 residents and 13,540 staff, for a total of 38,577 cases.
The state’s official death total will now be reported as those that are lab confirmed, sits at 7,146 on Sept. 22. The facilities are reporting to the state 6,760 residents deaths and 121 staff deaths.
