Coronavirus Update: New Jersey Schools, bars, restaurants and casinos closing as cases rise – WABC-TV

NEW JERSEY (WABC) — The number of new coronavirus cases nearly doubled overnight in New Jersey as Governor Phil Murphy announced 80 new positive cases for a total of 178 in the state.

Murphy ordered mobilization of state National Guard in response to work with building unions and private developers to find existing facilities — such as dormitories and former nursing homes — that can most easily be converted to medical facilities, with the goal of creating an additional 9,000 beds.
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All non-essential and non-emergency travel in New Jersey is “strongly discouraged” from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Murphy said essential businesses like supermarkets and pharmacies and those involved in public welfare are permitted to remain open beyond 8:00 p.m. and their workers are allowed on the street.

“We don’t take any of these steps lightly. We know impacts on residents, communities, businesses, but at this moment our paramount concern must be to flattened the curve of new cases,” Murphy said.

New Jersey has announced a statewide school shutdown effective Wednesday in an effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

Earlier, governors Phil Murphy, Andrew Cuomo, and Governor Ned Lamont announce joint restrictions affecting all three states to present a united front against the coronavirus.

CORONAVIRUS HEADLINES
*Governors agree to close bars, restaurants, casinos in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut
*New Jersey closes all schools indefinitely; mobilizes National Guard
*NYC closes public schools; Online learning begins next week
*950 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in New York
*Wall Street declines sharply again
*Italy’s death toll climbs over 2,000.
*SAT test canceled.
*MLB pushes back start of season.
*Actor Idris Elba tests positive for coronavirus

MARCH 16, 2020

6:45 p.m.
Mayor declares state of emergency in North Bergen

Mayor Nick Sacco has declared a Local State of Emergency in response to the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic.

The declaration will allow Township government to bypass purchasing regulations if necessary.

In addition to the restrictions on the public announced by Governor Phil Murphy, Mayor Sacco is announcing the following:

Town Hall is open with limited access to the public. Residents are encouraged to conduct all matters via phone, email or online when possible.
All Township parks are closed off to the public.
The Recreation Center is closed.
The Senior Center is closed.
Senior citizen transportation is available to those with critical medical needs ONLY
All senior citizen shopping trips are cancelled until further notice
Township Board Meetings are cancelled, except Board of Commissioners Meetings
Child and Adult Day Care Centers are closed.

2:10 p.m.
Updated numbers of positive cases

Governor Phil Murphy announced 80 new positive cases of coronavirus for a total of 178 in the state.

He also suggested that residents stay off the roads and stay home after 8 p.m. each night until 5 a.m. “Please, please, please just stay home,” the governor pleaded.

Governor clarified that places that offer essential services like grocery stores, pharmacies and other health centers may remain open after 8 p.m.

He is also mobilizing the New Jersey National Guard.

“This is not fake news. This is real. If we’re not accurate about this, it’s on me. Stop believing folks who say this is not real,” Murphy said. “It is not time for business as usual.”

He also announced the state will be one of 12 testing sites by FEMA. Murphy asked President Trump and Vice President Pence for more supplies and personal protective equipment.

1:56 p.m.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announces public parks remain open for ‘Passive Recreation’

Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe announced today that the public may still access the State Parks, forests, recreation areas and Wildlife Management Areas, including roads, parking areas, trails, lakes and other open space areas for healthful passive recreation.

Alternatively, campgrounds, visitor centers, nature centers, restrooms and similar facilities at state parks, forests, recreation areas, Wildlife Management Areas and historic sites are closed until further notice in order to protect public health and safety as the state works to address COVID-19.

Noon
Murphy announces statewide school closures

Governor Phil Murphy posted a video message announcing that all pre-K through grade 12 schools — public, private, and parochial — and all colleges and universities will close effective Wednesday until it’s deemed by health officials to be safe for in-person classes to resume.

He also announced the closure of all casinos, racetracks, theaters and gyms, as well as non-essential retail, recreational and entertainment businesses after 8 p.m. Monday.

He is banning gatherings of 50 or more, and all bars and restaurants are closed for eat-in services, also effective 8 p.m.

After 8 p.m. these establishments may open for takeout and delivery services only until further notice. These restrictions exist during daytime hours.

Additionally, all non-essential and non-emergency travel in New Jersey is “strongly discouraged” from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

“We want everyone to be home and not out,” Murphy said.

The New Jersey State Police said this is not a travel ban or enforceable curfew. Murphy said officials are not concerned with people being out of their homes, they just don’t want people to congregate.

10:15 a.m.
Governors Murphy, Cuomo, Lamont unite efforts

The governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have all agreed to a set of shared restrictions designed to halt the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus.

Governors Andrew Cuomo, Phil Murphy and Ned Lamont said adopting the same rules is imperative in preventing people from violating social conditions necessary to keep everyone safe.

As a result, there will be no gatherings larger than 50 people, and all bars, restaurants gyms, movie theaters and casinos will close for good at 8 p.m.

Restaurants will continue to offer take-out and delivery, and online gambling will continue in New Jersey.

“We have agreed to a set of rules, so don’t even think about going to a neighboring state because there is a different set of conditions,” Cuomo said. “I believe we are the only region in the country to do that.”

9:15 a.m.
NJ Assembly vote

New Jersey’s Assembly is set to vote on more than two dozen bills aimed at confronting the deadly coronavirus outbreak. The Democrat-led chamber has scheduled committee and floor votes on Monday on 25 measures, including one that sets aside $20 million to the Education Department for cleaning schools and one that requires districts to offer meals or meal vouchers to students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals during school.

The Assembly is meeting despite the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advising that groups of 50 or more not gather.

Additionally, the measures include bills that would:
– Give county officials more time to mail ballots for the primary election June 2.
– Let virtual or remote instruction meet the 180-day school year requirement.
– Extend by one month the filing deadline for income and business taxes.
– Create a Temporary Lost Wage Unemployment Program to allow people to claim pay they lost during the outbreak.
– Establish a COVID-19 Emergency Food Distribution Fund and set aside $10 million.
– Authorize licensed health care facilities and laboratories to develop and administer coronavirus tests. It’s unclear whether the Democratic-led state Senate will take up the bills. It’s not scheduled to meet on Monday.

The voting session comes as Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said he was likely to announce the closure of the state’s more than 600 school districts. Most of them had already closed. Ninety-eight people have tested positive for COVID-19, and two have died, according to state health officials.

6:30 a.m. Jersey City closing bars, gyms, nail salons, barbershops and more

Mayor Steven Fulop has announced Jersey City will be shutting down the following establishments beginning at noon on Monday: bars and nightclubs that do not serve food, movie theaters, performance centers, gyms, fitness centers, state-licensed cosmetology establishments, barber shops, day care centers, nail salons and non-urgent medical offices including, dental offices, physical therapy clinics and chiropractor offices.

Fulop said the move comes after the city recorded its fourth positive case of COVID-19 Sunday night.

MARCH 15, 2020

9:45 p.m. New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to close for two weeks

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Chief Administrator Sue Fulton has announced that all New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission agency and road testing facilities will be closed effective immediately as a measure to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We anticipate re-opening in two weeks, on Monday, March 30, 2020.

3:30 p.m.
All New Jersey schools will be ordered to close

All public and private schools will be ordered to close down to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Phil Murphy said Sunday. Details are scheduled to be announced Monday once a plan is reached with the state Department of Education.

Murphy made the announcement during a Sunday afternoon phone briefing with reporters.

He said more than 210,000 students rely on schools for their food while 259,000 students do not have a home setup to take classes online.

Most of New Jersey schools have already closed or announced they will close Monday.

2:30 p.m.
Murphy confirms 39 new cases

New Jersey Governor Murphy reports 31 new positive tests for COVID-19 coronavirus. Murphy said the statewide total is now 98 confirmed cases.

The cases are now in 13 of 21 counties, infecting nine females and 22 males. Their ages range from 30 to 77.

Breakdown of new cases:
Bergen 7
Hudson 6
Monmouth 4
Essex 4
Passaic 3
Union 3
Ocean 1
Burlington 1
Morris 1
Middlesex 1

2:00 p.m.
Rahway schools to close until end of March

Rahway schools to close until end of March.

1:40 p.m.
Hackensack Meridian Health postponing non-urgent and non-emergency hospital/campus-based surgeries for two weeks

Hackensack Meridian Health announced that non-urgent and non-emergency hospital/campus-based surgeries and procedures will be postponed for two weeks. This new policy will be fully effective on Tuesday, March 17.

The hospital said in a statement that it will allow them to enact preparedness plans to create capacity and deliver high quality care during the anticipated surge in COVID-19 cases.

Surgeries and procedures will continue to take place at their off-campus sites.

12:15 p.m.
Health care worker tests positive

A health care worker at University Hospital has tested positive for COVID-19.

Officials say staff members and patients and their providers are being notified.

It is believed the case was “community acquired” on March 6 and the tests came back positive on Saturday.

The health care worker lives in Bergen County. Other details about the individual were not released.

12 p.m.
First case in Newark

Officials held a news conference to announce the first positive case of COVID-19 in Newark.

The case is a male in his 50s who is self-quarantining. He is not showing symptoms.

Another case is under investigation, but it is not clear if that person is a Newark resident.

There are 11 positive cases in Essex County.

Officials say the numbers have doubled and they expect them to grow over the next few weeks.

11:50 a.m.
More cases in Hoboken

The mayor of Hoboken announced to additional positive cases of COVID-19.

One case is a male in his 30s and the other is a male in his 40s. Both men are currently in self-isolation.

10:15 a.m.
Teaneck officials announce emergency declaration

Officials in Teaneck announced an emergency declaration over the COVID-19 outbreak.

Officials said there are 18 cases of coronavirus — the most of any municipality in the state.

Teaneck Township Manager Dean Kazinci said the order for Teaneck residents to self-quarantine is not mandatory, but is recommended as the virus continues to spread.

7:30 a.m.
Jails suspend visits for 30 days

The New Jersey Department of Corrections said its suspending visits for the next 30 days as of Saturday evening. Commissioner Marcus Hicks said officials recognize that families are “a critical support to the population in our care” but ensuring the health and safety of inmates, residents, staff and the public were of paramount importance.

MARCH 14, 2020

10:45 p.m.
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Hoboken announces city-wide curfew

Hoboken Mayor Ravinder Bhalla announced a citywide curfew will be in effect starting Monday. The curfew also places major restrictions on bars and restaurants.

The curfew will be in effect from 10 p.m.- 5 a.m.starting on Monday, and until further notice.

Residents will be required to stay home, except for emergencies, or if needed at work by their employer.

As of 11 a.m. Sunday, bars that do not serve food will not be permitted to operate at all. All other bars and restaurants are no longer permitted to serve food within the establishment, and acan only sell takeout or delivery.

8:30 p.m.
Governor Murphy announces second coronavirus death in New Jersey

A second person has died of coronavirus in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy reports.

The Governor said the person who died was a woman in her 50s who was being treated at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold.

6:30 p.m
Teaneck, New Jersey residents asked to self-quarantine

Mohammed Hameeduddinn, the mayor of Teaneck, New Jersey tells ABC News that he is requesting all residents to self-quarantine and only to leave their homes for food and medicine.

Hameeduddin said that his town is “ground zero” for the infections in the state. At the moment, Teaneck as 18 cases of COVID-19 but he believes people have been walking around with the virus for the past 4 weeks.

“Last week we closed municipal buildings, we closed the rec department, we closed all senior programs, we closed all public gatherings at parks, we closed schools. What is happening right now is that we are seeing people getting sick, showing up in our emergency rooms, and that number is climbing. The only way we can stop this is by assuming that everyone is a carrier,” Hameeduddin said. “There is not enough testing to go around, there is no drive-up testing, and there is no vaccine. So this is what we are suggesting to help contain the virus.”

Hameeduddin hopes to prevent a similar situation currently taking place in Italy, by requesting residents to self-quarantine.

3:26 p.m.
Hoboken to close gyms, healthclubs, day care and movie theatres

Hoboken Mayor Ravinder Bhalla and the Office of Emergency Management have made the decision to close gyms, all health clubs, day cares, and movie theatres, efective March 14.

This is in addition to the closures of additional City facilities announced on Friday including City Hall (phone or email only), playgrounds, recreation centers, and ballfields. OEM has made attempts to contact all gyms and health clubs in Hoboken, some of which have already closed their facilities.

Mayor Bhalla recognizes that these decisions will cause an inconvenience for residents and alter day to day lives but the town is taking necessary precautionary measures according to recent predictions outlined by health experts that the spread of COVID-19 will likely get worse before it improves.

2 p.m.
NJ updates numbers, announces cluster in Teaneck

There are now 69 confirmed cases of coronavirus in New Jersey, officials said Saturday, with 19 new patients diagnosed in the past 24 hours.

At least 21 of the cases are in Teaneck.

Officials said they expect that number to rise dramatically as they start to receive an influx of test results.

Noon
31 Presumptive Positive Cases of COVID-19 Identified in Bergen County

Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announced that there are 31 “presumptive positive” cases of COVID-19 identified in the County by the New Jersey Department of Health as of 12 p.m. today.

The municipalities with the “presumptive positive” cases are:

Bergenfield: 1
Dumont: 1
Englewood: 3
Fair Lawn: 3
Fort Lee: 1
Garfield: 1
Little Ferry: 1 (Patient Deceased)
Paramus: 1
Teaneck: 18
Wood-Ridge: 1

Noon
2-week suspension of NJ municipal court sessions announced

The chief justice of New Jersey’s court system has announced a two-week suspension of municipal court sessions to mitigate public exposure to the coronavirus.

Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said Saturday that individuals scheduled to appear through March 27 before a municipal court to contest a traffic or parking ticket or for a minor local ordinance violation should await notice of a new court date.

Municipal courts will continue to handle some things such as applications for temporary restraining orders, hearings in which a defendant has been detained and matters that implicate public safety. Filings and payments will continue to be accepted except where a municipality has closed the municipal court building.

Rabner earlier announced an indefinite suspension in all new jury trials, criminal and civil, in New Jersey due to the coronavirus outbreak.

9:30 a.m.
Newark announces school closures

Newark has announced that out of an abundance of caution amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the city is closing all public schools for two weeks.

The Central Office will also be closed, with a tentative date to reopen on March 30.

The Mayor of Newark signed an executive order that will extend the IRS state tax due date by 60 days, and also suspend water shut-offs and rental evictions.

6 a.m.
NJ preparing to close schools statewide if necessary

Governor Phil Murphy also said that the state is preparing for closing schools statewide, though he stopped short of taking that step. He said it’s a matter of when, not if, they close.

State Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet said some 354 districts, or roughly half, in the state have closed already.

Most are for teacher training, but a handful are because of confirmed or possible exposure to the corona virus.

Nine schools have had possible exposure to the virus, according to a department tally. Three have had closed because of the exposure to someone who had the virus, while one school district closed because a student had tested positive.

MARCH 13, 2020

6:00 p.m.
American Dream megamall closes through end of March

The American Dream megamall in East Rutherford will shut down Monday to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The closure will also delay the long-awaited opening of retail shops, including Zara and H&M, and the world’s first DreamWorks Animation Water Park, which were set to take place next Thursday.

There have not been any cases of coronavirus at American Dream, but the operators hope to curb the spread of the virus by shuttering the property through at least the end of March.

2:30 p.m.
Murphy updates numbers, school closing plans

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced 21 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the state total to 50.

He also said he is working with school districts to come up with extended closure plans in case it becomes necessary to close all schools in the state.

But for some districts, he said that time is now.

12:30 p.m.
Hoboken announces 1st COVID-19 case

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced the city has its first positive case of coronavirus, a man in his 40s who is presently in self-isolation at home.

The Hoboken Health Department has been in close contact with the individual, who is only experiencing mild symptoms and is expected to recover fully.

Officials are now developing a timeline of events, and individuals who may have been in contact with the patient are being notified and being recommended for self-quarantine.

11 a.m.
Jersey City announces 1st COVID-19 case

Jersey City officials have announced their first presumptive positive case of COVID-19, a 41-year-old woman who lives in downtown Jersey City.

The patient was reportedly proactive when she felt symptoms and initiated testing with her private physician. The results then get transmitted to the city’s Health Department Communicable Disease Reporting Surveillance System.

10:30 a.m.
NJ lawmakers plan COVID-19 bills

New Jersey lawmakers have set votes on legislation aimed at helping residents deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Democrat-led Assembly and Senate also said they’re changing their schedules next week.

The Assembly canceled committee hearings except for one that will be considering the coronavirus legislation. The full Assembly is also planning to vote on the legislation once it emerges from committee. The Senate is holding hearings on Monday, but said the meetings would be closed to the public.

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Republican Leader Jon Bramnick announced bipartisan legislation Thursday that includes measures to permit remote or virtual classroom learning to count toward the 180-day school year requirement. Other bills are aimed at ensuring that free and reduced lunches continue if schools are closed; requiring insurers to cover COVID-19 testing, setting aside funds for schools to reimburse for the cost of cleaning; and ensuring that no workers are fired as a result of being quarantined.

7:00 a.m.
Ridership declines on NJ Transit

NJ Transit reports about 20% reduction in ridership this week on both bus and rail, according to a preliminary data review.

Customers who bought an NJ Transit monthly pass may be eligible for refunds

6:00 a.m.
Archdiocese of Newark suspends services, closes schools

Archdiocese of Newark “suspended the public celebration of Mass for Saturday evening, March 14, and Sunday, March 15, 2020, after evaluating recommendations of state and health officials.”

Archdiocese schools will be closed next week.

MARCH 12, 2020

10 p.m.
Teaneck continues to monitor spread

Teaneck officials said they are continuing to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and announced the township has 8 positive cases.

The township has canceled all recreational activities at the Rodda Center, all scheduled court sessions in the Teaneck Municipal Court have been canceled, the Teaneck Library will be closed starting Friday and all non-essential meetings have been canceled.

7 p.m.
Bergen County schools closing

Bergen County officials Thursday evening announced all 75 schools districts would move to at-home distance learning effective Friday at 3 p.m. until further notice. The schools have almost 170,000 school children and 16,000 teachers.

5:30 p.m.
Hoboken public schools to close for 2 weeks

Due to the State of Emergency declared by the Hoboken Office of Emergency Management (OEM), the Hoboken Public School District and the Hoboken Charter Schools (Elysian, HoLa, and Hoboken Charter) will close starting Monday, March 16 for a period of two weeks.

1:30 p.m.
Jersey City announces curfew for establishments with liquor licenses

Mayor Steven Fulop is implementing a precautionary 10 p.m. curfew effective immediately for all Jersey City establishments carrying a liquor license in an effort to reduce large uncontrolled crowd turnout as a preventative measure to reduce exposing the public to the pandemic COVID-19.

Further measures outlined in the Executive Order include a requirement for all establishments with allowable public capacity greater than 25 people – such as restaurants, places of worship, and special event venues – to maintain a record of all individuals entering the establishment through a sign-in sheet with information to be used solely for the purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19 by providing means of notification of potential exposure, if necessary.

“There is so much uncertainty around testing, who carries the virus, and how quickly it spreads so we want to be overly cautious until we have some answers,” Fulop said. “The logic here is simple, if the conversation federally and at the state level is around closing schools, or what we would classify as controlled environments, in order to limit the spread of the virus, wouldn’t logic lead us to make sure we are also thinking about large uncontrolled environments until we have more answers? We want to take the necessary steps.”

10:30 a.m.
Newark cancels St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Newark has canceled its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade amid concerns of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, one day after organizers expressed hope the event would go off as planned.

The ceremonial green line had already been drawn for the 85th annual event, with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy advising people to avoid packed in events before and after the parade.

But in the end, city officials made the decision to avoid the large gathering of people.

10:00 a.m.
Jersey City provides update on prevention

Mayor Steven Fulop said that they had set up a hotline, 201-547-5208, for people to call who are experiencing symptoms to get information on how to get tested or for more information. He also urged people to call their own doctor as well.

Jersey City also canceled all city-run events throughout the week, or events they had given out permits for. Fulop says after a week, they will reassess the situation. He added that they do not want people to come to City Hall.

5:00 a.m.
Red Bank Regional High School becomes the first public school in the tri-state area to switch to an off-campus learning plan amid the coronavirus scare. A student at the school is related to a 27-year-old man who is confirmed to have COVID-19.

MARCH 11, 2020
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4:30 p.m.
Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade still a go despite virus concerns

Many organizations have canceled large gatherings because of concern over the spread of the novel coronavirus, but in Newark, officials say their St. Patrick’s Day Parade will go on as planned.

The city signed off on moving forward, encouraging people to come while paying attention though to all the hygiene advice health departments are recommending.

Dozens of organizations have signed up for the parade, and organizers say that so far, no one has canceled.

3:30 p.m.
Ivy League cancels all spring sports

The Ivy League announced on Wednesday that it is canceling all spring athletics practice and competition through the remainder of the academic year amid further developments in the outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus.

The decision hits the lacrosse programs particularly hard, with four schools ranked in the Top 20 and three in the Top 5 (No. 2 Cornell, No. 3 Princeton, No. 5 Yale, No. 16 Penn).

2:00 p.m.
Possible community spread cases in New Jersey

In a news conference, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said four of the new cases are in Bergen County; two are in Middlesex County; two are in Monmouth County.

Three of the patients are female, while five are male. They range in age from 17 to 66 years old.

Judith Persichilli said officials are still investigating the contacts of those cases. However, she said two of the patients did not appear to have exposure to either a confirmed case, or travelled to an area that has community spread of the novel coronavirus.

Persichilli went on to define community spread as “person-to-person transmission without exposure to a confirmed case, or a nexus to an area where community spread is identified.”

The health commissioner suggested that COVID-19 may be spreading among the community in New Jersey.

10:30 a.m.
Fort Lee closes senior center as a precaution

The Richard and Catherine Nest Adult Activity Center (commonly known as the “Fort Lee Senior Citizen Center”, located at 319 Main Street) will be temporarily closed for a period of 14 days, officials said.

This measure is strictly preemptive and is not in response to any presumptive or additional confirmed cases of individuals in the Borough of Fort Lee contracting COVID-19.

10:20 a.m.
3 coronavirus cases in Teaneck, New Jersey

Officials in Teaneck, New Jersey say they have 3 presumptive positve cases. All three are men ages 70, 44 and 30. All of them are in the hospital.

MARCH 10, 2020

4 p.m.
Rutgers University cancels classes

Rutgers University announced an early start to spring break for students. All classes are canceled starting March 12 through the end of spring break on March 22.

Starting Monday, March 23 through at least Friday, April 3, all course instruction will be delivered remotely and all face-to-face instruction is suspended.

1 p.m.
First death in state reported

New Jersey officials announced the state’s first death stemming from the coronavirus on Tuesday and said the number of cases climbed from 11 to 15.

Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said the person who died was a 69-year-old hospitalized in Bergen County who had underlying medical conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure, she said.

He had no travel outside of the United States but had had gone back and forth to New York state, where there are more than 150 cases. It is not yet known where exactly he traveled in New York.

12:00 p.m.
Murphy waives fees for COVID-19 testing for some residents

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday the state will waive fees for COVID-19 testing for more than 2 million residents on certain health plans.

The waivers apply to residents with health insurance through their jobs with the state and public schools, as well as to those using the state’s social safety net programs.

Murphy also urged the state’s other health carriers covering people who get insurance their their jobs to follow suit. The state’s biggest insurer, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, has already said it would waive costs for medically necessary coronavirus tests.

Just over half of the state’s residents have insurance through their employers, according to Jerrel Harvey, a spokesman for the governor.

Murphy’s administration is set to give an update on the number of cases in the state later on Tuesday. Officials have reported there are 11 positive cases in New Jersey so far.

A state of emergency was declared in New Jersey on Monday to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

State of Emergency declared

Gov. Phil Murphy announced the public health emergency on Monday evening to help strengthen the state’s preparedness.

Health officials in New Jersey had previously announced five more positive cases of coronavirus in the state on Monday, bringing the total to 11.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver stressed that the overall risk to the average New Jersey resident remains low.

She said New Jersey will continue to work with neighboring states and partner with the federal government throughout the response to the outbreak.

Oliver added that the best way residents can protect themselves from coronavirus is by practicing safe respiratory hygiene and to stay home.

MARCH 9, 2020

8 p.m.
More NJ schools close

Trenton Public Schools is the latest school system to announce it will close this week.

School will be closed to students on Thursday and it will be closed to both students and staff on Friday.

6 p.m.
State of Emergency declared in New Jersey

Governor Murphy’s emergency declaration also empowers all state agencies, specifically the Departments of Banking and Insurance, Health, Human Services, and the Civil Service Commission to take all appropriate steps to address the public health hazard of COVID-19.

“The State of New Jersey is committed to deploying every available resource, across all levels of government, to help respond to the spread of COVID-19 and keep our residents informed,” said Murphy. “My Administration will continue to work closely with our federal partners to ensure that local health agencies on the front lines of the state’s response are equipped with the resources needed to further prepare our health care system for a broader spread of COVID-19.”

Additionally, the declaration triggers other executive powers and safeguards, such as prohibiting excessive price increases pursuant to New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act and the ability to waive certain procurement procedures to expedite the delivery of goods and services necessary for coronavirus preparedness and response efforts.

2:00 p.m.
New coronavirus cases in New Jersey

1 . An 18-year-old from Clifton City, Passaic County. Onset of symptoms: March 6. Do not have gender, not hospitalized, possible individual was exposed to COVID-19 on March 2. Close contact with a known positive case in New York. New Jersey contacts are pending.

2. 48-year-old Berkeley Heights Township, Union County individual. Onset March 1. Individual is inpatient at Overlook Medical Center. Exposure was symptomatic friends who traveled from Milan. Friends tested negative for COVID-19 . The situation remains under investigation.

3. 27-year-old individual from Little Silver Borough, Monmouth County. Onset: February 29. Patient is not hospitalized. Exposure to COVID-19 came from Biogen conference that the person attended in Boston. Attended between Feb. 24 and Feb. 28. Reported that 170 attendees from that conference have tested presumptive positive. New Jersey contacts are pending.

4. 83-year-old from Hazlet Township, Monmouth County. Onset: March 3. Inpatient at Bayshore Medical Center. Exposure to COVID-19 unknown. New Jersey contacts are pending.

5. 30-year-old individual from Teaneck Township, Bergen County. Onset: March 3. Hospitalized at Holy Name Medical Center. Exposure to COVID-19 unknown.

10:00 A.M.
Princeton U. restricts gatherings, offers remote classes

Princeton University said Monday it is restricting large gatherings and urging students to remain home after spring break and take classes online in the wake of the spread of the coronavirus.

President Christopher Eisgruber wrote in a letter to the university community that the measures are necessary even though the school currently has no confirmed cases.

7:00 A.M.
Man hospitalized in NJ for COVID-19 speaks out about the virus

A New Jersey man’s cousin is trying to get him transferred to Mount Sinai in New York for coronavirus treatment.

James Cai believes he contracted COVID-19 while attending a medical meeting at the Westin Hotel in Times Square.

He told ABC News that he was feeling sick a few days later and went to urgent care, but they didn’t see anything and suggested a pulmonary embolism. He went to the emergency room and they did a chest CT and they found a small lesion on his lung. That led the hospital to request a presumptive coronavirus test, and it came up positive.

“The CDC never confirmed it, not even now,” he said. Cai added that doctors are surprised by his condition.

He’s currently being treated at Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey.

MARCH 8, 2020

3:00 p.m.
NJ officials announce 2 more coronavirus cases; total now 6

New Jersey officials have announced two more presumptive positive tests for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of patients in the state to six.

Officials said Sunday that one male 70-year-old health care worker from Teaneck is in stable condition in a hospital intensive care unit. A 32-year-old man from West New York was also hospitalized but a condition report wasn’t available.

Officials haven’t been able to talk to either to find out their contacts and exposure. Samples from both have been sent to the federal Centers for

Health authorities said they are tracking 27 people in the state, one-third of them in Bergen County.

State Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli said “as you can see, from north to south, the coronavirus seems to be spreading.” But Gov. Sheila Oliver stressed that the overall risk to the average New Jersey resident remains low.

MARCH 6, 2020

Facility probed where New Jersey COVID-19 patients visited

Two northern New Jersey residents who have tested positive for the new coronavirus went to the same health care facility before they were eventually hospitalized this week.

Officials in Bergen County say an investigation has begun to determine if workers or other patients at the facility were exposed.

One patient, a man in his early 30s, is hospitalized in Hackensack. The second, a woman from Englewood, was released from a hospital Thursday and is in isolation at home.

Two more cases were announced Friday. One is at Englewood Hospital in Bergen County and the other at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital in Camden County.

Officials haven’t been able to talk to either to find out their contacts and exposure.

Health authorities said they are tracking 27 people in the state, one-third of them in Bergen County.

Officials did make more details available about the first COVID-19 case.

That patient is a 32-year-old man who is currently hospitalized in Bergen County and is stable, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said.

The individual, who works in New York City, developed symptoms on March 1 and sought medical care late on March 2 at an urgent care clinic in Bergen County.

He was then sent to Hackensack University Medical Center and was hospitalized on March 3. He is said to be resting comfortably and doing well.

Watch: Interview with NJ coronavirus patient
Persichilli said the hospital placed the patient in an airborne isolation room, and the facility has continued infection control measures.

From the time he became symptomatic, the patient had limited close contact with other New Jersey residents outside of the health care setting, Persichilli said.

A New Jersey couple is also stuck on a cruise ship off the coast of California due to the coronavirus.

Karen and Harry Dever are among the thousands of people currently confined to the Grand Princess that’s been circling the waters off the California Coast since Thursday.

The ship has been forbidden to dock in San Francisco amid evidence it was a breeding ground for a cluster of more than 10 cases and one death during its previous voyage.

ABC News sources confirm over 1,000 passengers aboard the ship are above the age of 70.

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