TRENTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — COVID-19 case counts are on the rise again in New Jersey.
Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said Wednesday, except for the southeastern and southwestern regions of the state, New Jersey is "backsliding" when it comes to virus transmission.
"Getting tested and following public health precautions is vital, as we are seeing some increased COVID-19 activity in our state," Persichilli said at a Trenton news conference.
The state reported 3,590 new cases in the last day, an increase from just under 3,000 daily cases three weeks ago. Persichilli said the state has 209 of the more contagious variant cases, with the variant first identified in the UK accounting for all but three of them.
Health department medical advisor Eddy Bresnitz could not pinpoint when he thought the curve would flatten again.
"You’re asking when it would peak. I don’t think we have a crystal ball to be able to say when it would peak," Bresnitz said.
Gov. Phil Murphy said, counting people getting their first doses, New Jersey is about 45% of the way toward its goal of vaccinating 70% of the adult population. But he stressed that masking and social distancing must continue.
"It’s a good reminder that the basic stuff is still the stuff that we know works," Murphy said.