UPDATED: 6:28 p.m.
The epicenter of the outbreak in the state is clearly Bergen County, with 15 likely cases. By contrast, Burlington County has two, and there’s one in Camden County.
And none of the cases has yet been confirmed by the federal Centers for Disease Control.
In two of the North Jersey cases, investigators could not pinpoint just where the victims picked up the virus. Officials still cannot say if that means COVID-19 is now being spread throughout communities.
Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli suggests the numbers alone show how quickly things are changing.
“One week ago we had one case and now we have 29,” she said. “Looking at that in relation to the trajectory of what has happened in other states, I think, is a motivating factor for us to step back and say what further mitigation strategies should we undertake.”
The state can handle 40 to 60 tests a day at its lab, but can ramp that up if need be. Private facilities like LabCorp and Quest are also testing for the virus and reporting findings to the state.
One of those mitigation strategies involves limiting the size of public crowds, according to Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver.
“We are recommending the cancellation of all public gatherings throughout New Jersey of more than 250 individuals including concerts, sporting events and parades,” Oliver said.
That recommendation could become an order that would, if necessary, be enforced by state police.
Education officials report over 200 districts have addressed coronavirus concerns in some form, most by canceling classes for a time to provide professional training. A dozen were closed for precautionary cleaning.
"The governor talked about reducing the large gathering of people of 250 people or more. There are occasions when we may have that number in our courthouses and we’re trying to reduce the potential exposure to the people who come into our courthouses," said Chief Administrative Judge Glenn Grant.
Courts will be open with non-jury matters like small claims court staggered and procedural hearings handled electronically. Those with pending jury summonses may want to contact the county jury manager, since it’s unclear when operations might get back to normal.
Prevention and risk
The best ways to protect yourself from COVID-19 are common-sense hygiene practices: Wash your hands, don’t touch your face, cover your cough or sneeze, stay away from sick people, and stay home if you’re sick.
For most people, the immediate risk of being exposed to COVID-19 is low, according to the CDC. The risk to the general public depends on how the virus spreads between people.
Most of the reported patients have had mild symptoms. Older adults or people with underlying health conditions are more at risk.
As of Wednesday, there have been more than 930 reported cases in the U.S. and 29 deaths, according to the CDC. Worldwide, there are nearly 113,700 cases and 4,000 deaths.
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