UPDATED: 9:15 p.m.
NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Gov. Phil Murphy announced New Jersey's second death from the novel coronavirus Saturday, hours after state officials revealed 19 new cases.
Murphy said the patient was a woman in her 50s who was being treated at a Monmouth County hospital. No other information was made available.
Sad to announce our second death of an individual with #COVID19 - a female in her 50s who was being treated at @CentraState Medical Center in Monmouth County.Please wash your hands frequently and practice social distancing. We will get through this together.
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 15, 2020The new cases include 13 women and six men, all from North Jersey, with ages ranging from 18 to 80. Murphy said he'll make a decision "within a matter of days" on whether to follow the actions of his Pennsylvania and Delaware counterparts and close New Jersey schools outright, although many schools in the state, including Camden City and Cherry Hill schools, have elected to close on their own.
One reason he's waiting to make that call is to ensure the ongoing needs of New Jersey children are met. "So the kid whose only reliable meal in a given day is through the school, the implications for daycare, including for our health workers and first responders, the question of remote access and ability to learn outside of the classroom," he said. "We gotta make sure that every school district, we have our arms around and are prepared for those implications and more."
Health officials are curbing visitation at long-term care facilities, except for patients in hospice care. New Jersey prisons are also suspending family visits for 30 days, though lawyers will still be able to see their clients.
A key concern to most people is testing, but Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said not everyone may be able to have that opportunity. "We know that many individuals want to be tested, but if you do not have symptoms, you do not need to be tested for COVID-19," she explained.
Persichilli continued, "If your symptoms are mild, and your health care provider tells you to stay home, follow the guidance of your health care provider."
Currently, there are three cases locally, two in Burlington County and one in Camden County.
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