TRENTON, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- Gov. Phil Murphy reported nine new COVID-19 deaths and 518 new cases on Friday, after urging New Jerseyans to cooperate with the state's contact tracers.
The new fatalities and cases brought the state's death toll to 14,234 and its case total to 195,888, Murphy said at a news briefing. Four of the people who died passed away within the past five days, he said. The state is also investigating 1,789 probable COVID-19 deaths.
As of Thursday, 482 people in the state were hospitalized with confirmed or positive COVID-19 cases, 81 of whom were in intensive care units and 36 of whom were on ventilators, he said.
New Jersey's rate of transmission currently stands at 1.08, and its positivity rate for Sept. 7 was 2.6 percent.
During his briefing, Murphy said the state has added 66 new contact tracers to its contact tracing corp, bringing the number of tracers currently on the ground to 1,835. The state now has nearly 21 contact tracers for every 100,000 residents, he said.
"Our contact tracers' only job is to protect public health," he said. "Please, folks, take the call and cooperate."
