OCEAN COUNTY, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- Ocean County, New Jersey's COVID-19 infection rate continues to "far exceed" the statewide average, Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday, calling the spike in cases "deeply concerning."
New Jersey reported 796 new positive COVID-19 test results on Friday, 190 of which came back in Ocean County, Murphy said at a roundtable with county officials.
And while the statewide infection rate on Sept. 28 was 2.47 percent, Ocean County's infection rate that day was 15.85 percent, he said.
The state is ramping up testing and contact tracing in the county, he noted.
"Let me be perfectly clear: no one is here to point fingers or to cast blame," he said. "We can only tackle this emergency when we all pull together."
Between Sept. 24 and Sept. 30, Ocean County reported a total of 1,214 new COVID-19 cases, Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said at the roundtable. Of those cases, 840 were reported in Lakewood, New Jersey, she said.
"There is not a single event that is associated with the increase in cases, but as you know, there have been large religious observances over the past several weeks that may have resulted in prolonged close contact, and there have been reports of some large gatherings — weddings, funerals — where social distancing and wearing masks may not have been consistently followed," she said.
About a third of the people in Ocean County who contracted COVID-19 between those dates were 18 to 49 years old, she added.
Murphy on Friday reported four new COVID-19 fatalities, bringing the state's death toll to 14,344.
As of Thursday night, 528 people in the state were hospitalized with COVID-19, 98 of whom were in intensive care and 36 of whom were on ventilators, he said.
"That's the first time we're over 500 in quite some time," he said. "What we're seeing in Ocean County is a reason why we cannot become complacent."
"This virus is a virus of opportunity," he added. "And when we let our guard down, we give it the opportunity to rush in."
