New Jersey officials have warned that 'many, many, many people' are at risk of infection after a coronavirus patient gave a false name and address and then walked out of a Newark hospital.

Health officials are desperately trying to track down the woman who remains 'at large' on Tuesday after she was tested for the deadly virus on Saturday and went missing before the results came back positive.

The woman had been tested for coronavirus at East Orange General Hospital in Newark on Saturday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a Facebook video Tuesday.

Her test results came back positive and health officials went to the address she had provided on her records to find no one by that name resided there, Baraka said.

'Many, many, many people' are at risk of infection after a coronavirus patient gave a false name and address and then walked out of a Newark hospital, said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in a Facebook video Tuesday (above)

The woman had been tested for coronavirus at East Orange General Hospital in Newark (above) on Saturday. She tested positive but when Newark health officials visited the address she had provided, they found no one by that name there

She had 'provided a false name and a Newark address', he said.

Officials are frantically searching for the woman amid fears that she could be spreading the virus to residents across the state.

Baraka said the 'at large' woman poses 'a public health risk to herself and to the entire community' and scolded that 'this is not a joke'.

The Mayor urged the 'young lady' to come forward for treatment 'immediately'.

'As of today, she has not been identified,' Baraka said.

'Because you gave a false name, because you gave a false address, you put many, many, many people at risk. Not only in the city of Newark, but all of the surrounding cities in this state as well. I'm urging you to immediately contact your health provider and go back to East Orange Hospital if you can. We are searching for you and looking for you.'

Baraka is also urging East Orange General Hospital to hand over all information about the patient, including surveillance footage of her at the hospital.

City of Newark officials are applying for a court order to be able to access the footage to help them identify the missing woman.

A statement from the hospital said it was cooperating with the police department.

'East Orange General Hospital has been working closely with the Newark Department of Health, Newark Police Department, East Orange Department of Health, and East Orange Police Department,' the statement read.

'We have already provided them with all information requested. Patient privacy laws constrain us from providing further comment to the public about a specific patient or case.'

New Jersey has joined other states in taking strong measures to slow the spread of the virus

A man with a face mask walks an empty street in New Jersey on Monday. The state has rolled out a curfew banning residents from non-essential travel between 8pm and 5am, has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and closed all bars and restaurants until further notice

Bars and restaurants are closed that on the usually busy Hoboken street in New Jersey on Tuesday

Fears of a 'super-spreader' come as Newark reported its first confirmed coronavirus case on Sunday.

Across the state of New Jersey, the number of confirmed cases stood at almost 300 and three people had died as of Tuesday afternoon.

New Jersey has joined other states in taking strong measures to slow the spread of the virus.

It has rolled out a curfew banning residents from non-essential travel between 8pm and 5am, has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and closed all bars and restaurants until further notice.