Governor Murphy Announces First Presumptuous Positive Case Of Coronavirus in New Jersey.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Governor Phil Murphy announced Wednesday night that the first presumptive positive case of novel coronavirus in New Jersey. The individual, according to the statement, is a male in his 30s, currently hospitalized in Bergen County and has been hospitalized since March 3rd.
“My administration is working aggressively to keep residents safe and contain the spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey,” Murphy said. “We take this situation very seriously and have been preparing for this for weeks. I urge residents to remain calm and use resources from the New Jersey Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control to prepare and prevent the spread of infection.”
There was no information on which hospital the infected man was being treated in or if he had traveled to one of the infected regions of the world recently.
“Our Administration has been coordinating across all levels of government, and with our federal partners, to ensure that we are active and engaged with preparedness and response plan,” said Acting Governor Oliver. “We urge all New Jersey residents to follow guidance from the New Jersey Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control to help contain the spread of COVID-19.”
The presumptive positive result came from a sample tested by the New Jersey Department of Health at the New Jersey Public Health Environmental Laboratories (PHEL) and is now being submitted to the CDC for confirmatory testing. State and local public health authorities are proceeding with the public health investigation and response activities as if this was a confirmed case. The hospital is working closely with the Department of Health and continues to follow all infectious disease protocols. Working with the local health department, the New Jersey Department of Health is tracing close contacts of this individual and is taking appropriate public health actions. The investigation is underway and more information will be released when it becomes available.
“Any case of novel coronavirus in our state is concerning, however most New Jersey residents are at very low risk of contracting COVID-19,” said New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “The Department is working closely with the CDC and local health officials to respond to this case and is monitoring the evolving situation across the nation.”
Nine other people had been tested in New Jersey for the virus that causes the illness COVID-19, but all had tested negative until Wednesday.
The virus has infected more than 92,000 people and killed more than 3,100 across the world. In the U.S, more than 100 people have been infected and eleven have died as of Thursday morning.
The New Jersey Department of Health has been working to prepare for and respond to the evolving novel coronavirus since early January. The New Jersey Poison Information and Education System (NJPIES) has opened a 24/7 hotline (l-800-222-1222) for the public, which to date, the has received more than 1,195 calls from the public and can accommodate callers in multiple languages.
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