UPDATED: 5:29 p.m.
It's not clear yet when the region would begin to reopen, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy stressed that the public health crisis first has to be under control before the states begin relaxing stay-at-home and other orders.
At his daily press briefing, Murphy said it's essential to ease the stay-at-home restrictions cautiously, to prevent a second surge of the virus.
“We are going through hell and back together, folks. Let's just do that once. Let's learn from this and then let's responsibly — as a region, coordinated, harmonized — reopen our societies and our economies.”
New York City and New Jersey are hotspots for the virus. The Garden State has nearly 62,000 cases and 2,350 deaths.
Pennsylvania's case count rose too: The state reported 1,366 additional cases and 17 new deaths on Monday, bringing the statewide total to 24,199 cases and 524 deaths.
New York's death toll topped 10,000 on Monday.
NJ death toll
New Jersey reported 3,219 new COVID-19 cases since Sunday, bringing the statewide total to 64,584.
Another 94 have reportedly died, bringing that total to 2,443.
“Every day, no matter what, this number hits us in the gut. These aren’t abstract numbers. They are real people,” said Murphy.
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For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple of weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are at higher risk of more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
The rate at which the number of positive cases doubles is going up across the Garden State, a sign that social distancing measures are beginning to take effect, Murphy said.
But the number of cases are still rising, the governor pointed out.
“I would love nothing more than to someday look back and say we overprepared. But, we don’t have that luxury right now,” the governor added in a tweet. “If we stop doing what we’re doing – even one bit – #COVID19 can boomerang on us and bring about a nightmare scenario.”
Phone and internet service
People who lost their internet or phone service for failing to pay since March 16 could have it restored under the order.
The order also bars internet and phone providers from cutting off service until up to 30 days after the end of the current public health emergency ends. An end date has not been specified.
“This is no time for anyone to have their connection to the world severed,” Murphy added, since many people need the ability to work online, and children need internet access for remote learning.
Primary, Tax Day, budget
New Jersey lawmakers are set to vote Monday to push the state's primary election, income tax and state budget deadlines later.
The Democrat-led Assembly and Senate are holding sessions over the phone to vote on a number of bills in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Senate passed the measures early Monday.
One measure delays the primary from June 2 to July 7, while the state income tax deadline will mirror the federal date of July 15, instead of April 15. The state fiscal year, which was set to end on June 30, will now be Sept. 30 under another bill.
Murphy has said he supports the changes.
Cooper to open testing sites for first responders
Dangerously high winds, thunderstorms and the threat of tornadoes forced the outdoor drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Cooper's Poynt in Camden to close for the day.
Testing sites run by Cooper University Health Care and Virtua Health continued operation at sites throughout the area.
Cooper announced Monday the creation of two new testing sites for Camden County law enforcement, first responders and health care workers on the frontlines of the pandemic.
One site on the Cooper campus in Camden, serving law enforcement and Cooper workers, will be available for drive-thru appointments only, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Another site, available for EMS personnel, law enforcement and Cooper workers at the Cooper Emergency entrance, will operate weekdays from 4 to 10 p.m., also by appointment.
People with COVID-19 symptoms, and who have a referral from a doctor, must schedule an appointment by calling 856-968-7100 or 856-342-2881 during business hours.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple of weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are at higher risk of more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
Field hospitals
The state's two field hospitals for non-COVID-19 cases have begun to take on patients.
The 250-bed facility in Secaucus will have 62 patients by late Monday, Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said.
The 500-bed field hospital in Edison has four patients, she said.
In all nursing homes
COVID-19 is in 324 out of 375 of the state's nursing homes, Persichilli said Monday. She said the Health Department is assuming the virus is in all of the state's facilities.
The state already has restricted visitors and requires all staff to wear masks. In at least one case, the residents of one nursing home were relocated to another facility because too many of the staff were out with the virus.
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