New COVID-19 cases in New Jersey reach levels not seen since May
New Jersey reported 1,477 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday as the state continues to see new case counts at levels not seen since May, when the state and surrounding areas were starting to recover from an onslaught of cases.
Governor Phil Murphy urged people at a briefing Thursday to return to "that level of vigilance that you showed six months ago so that we can beat back this second wave."
He said the statewide positivity rate for COVID tests recorded on October 25 was 6.54%. A total of 846 patients who are confirmed COVID positive were in the state's hospitals as of Thursday, and an additional 226 cases in hospitals were being investigated.
Eight new coronavirus deaths were reported.
Murphy spoke at a briefing Thursday as some cities in the state are living with new restrictions. Newark has imposed a curfew for nonessential business, and Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh has issued an executive order for bars, restaurants and grocery stores to close nightly at midnight.
"This past weekend, we had an operation where we went into these nightclubs, bars, restaurants and what we witnessed was unacceptable," the mayor said. "We saw large crowds congregating and we've seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases."