Coronavirus NJ: Murphy to announce more restrictions, closures Saturday as deaths reach 11

UPDATE: Murphy signs executive order closing all nonessential businesses

Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday that he plans to "tighten the screws" on social distancing even further as New Jersey reported two new deaths related to complications of the coronavirus, bringing the state's total to 11.

He reiterated the need for social distancing and said he plans to announce more restrictions Saturday on that front, including the closure of nonessential businesses.

“This is going to be ‘our way or the highway’ time," Murphy said.

Murphy said officials are finalizing the details of the restrictions, including which kinds of businesses will be considered "nonessential."

The number of coronavirus cases rose to 890 and has been spiking through the week as testing for the virus ramps up. Murphy has said he expects the number of cases to reach into the several thousands.

New Jersey has already shut down schools, movie theaters, casinos, racetracks, personal care businesses, performing arts centers, shopping malls, amusement parks, amusement centers, clubs, gyms and bars. Restaurants were also limited to offering delivery and takeout only.

Earlier this week, Murphy urged residents to stay home between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., and banned gatherings larger than 50 including weddings, funerals, religious rites and house parties.

State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said Friday that the state will also close adult day centers in all counties to prevent older adults from catching the disease.

Officials have said to avoid large groups, to stay at least 6 feet from each other, and to wash hands for 20 seconds frequently.

NJ coronavirus cases, deaths rise

Among the new deaths were a 52-year-old Bergen County man and an Essex County man in his 30s.

Of the 11 deaths statewide, four have been associated with a long term care facility. And nine have had underlying medical conditions.

Diabetes has been an underlying condition for many cases, said Persichilli.

Murphy said the 155 new cases Friday was significantly understated because of all the new testing being conducted.

"We will see more cases in the coming weeks, a lot more cases, and the stresses on our health care system will rise exponentially," Persichilli said. "I'm very concerned about that."

The planned reopening of Inspira Medical Center Woodbury in Gloucester County will take three to four weeks after a thorough cleaning, Persichilli said.

That hospital has 300 beds, and an additional 260 beds can be opened in unused wings of existing hospitals, she said.

The state is also looking at a former hospital building in Plainfield that is now gutted but could be put into operation within four to five weeks, adding another 200 beds.

Coronavirus testing to expand

Testing demand among the public is high.

All the entrances to the new coronavirus drive-thru testing center that opened Friday at Bergen Community College were blocked off by noon and signs said that the center was at capacity.

Hundreds of cars had lined up along Paramus Road to gain access to the site on its first day in operation as military and police personnel tried to maintain order.

Health workers managed to test more than 650 at the site Friday, which Murphy said was "beyond our wildest dreams." They had only expected to be able to handle about 200 tests the first day.

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In cooperation with BioReference Laboratories, based in Elmwood Park, and LabCorp "we will greatly increase statewide testing capacity," Murphy said.

He said that he and the governors of neighboring states have been in talks with federal officials for more aid. Murphy said New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut need a combined $100 billion of direct cash assistance to help get through this emergency.

Bergen County remains the most affected of New Jersey's 21 counties, with 48 new cases Friday, for a total of 249. County Executive Jim Tedesco said there are now cases in 56 of the county's 70 towns.

Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, at the center of the crisis in Bergen County, said Friday that the hospital CEO, Michael Maron, has tested positive for the virus. He is self-quarantining at home and keeping in touch with hospital officials.

Middlesex County now has 76 cases, Essex has 73, Hudson has 66, Monmouth has 53, and Passaic has 50.

There are now cases in every county except for rural Salem County in South Jersey.

State health officials have said that those over 60 years old and who have underlying medical conditions such as emphysema and diabetes are most at risk, but growing numbers of younger people have also been testing positive.

New Jersey's cases range in age from 3 years old to 95. The median age is 52, slightly younger than in other places.

Dr. Jon R. Cohen, executive chair of BioReference Laboratories, said they have ramped up to 20,000 tests a day nationwide in two weeks. Their largest lab is in Elmwood Park and is running 24/7.

Cohen said the company reached agreements Friday to handle tests at future drive-thru test sites in Essex, Hudson, Union, Ocean and Burlington counties. They are also looking at a way to test first responders.

BioReference is prioritizing tests from patients in hospitals. "They need a short turnaround time to help medical workers make a diagnosis as soon as possible because it affects their therapies," Cohen said.

Bill Haas, the regional executive vice president for LabCorp, said the company has also ramped up over two weeks to processing 20,000 a day nationwide. He said the company is running tests 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and pushing to increase the number of tests they can run. They have labs nationwide, and began testing at their Raritan lab earlier this week.

At the Bergen testing site Friday, lights on police vehicles broke through the fog near the college's entrance in the morning revealing a massive line of cars. Officials yelled instructions at drivers through a megaphone.

Two cars were accepted at a time, some with a solo occupant and others filled with four people. People were first screened for symptoms, then given a swab test.

Priority for testing at the site is being given to those health care workers and first responders who have symptoms of COVID-19, the name for the illness caused by the coronavirus. Symptoms include a fever, a cough or other respiratory symptoms, and shortness of breath.

The site, operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. But it only has about 2,400 test kits per week.

Another testing facility is expected to open next week in Monmouth County, as well as in Passaic County at William Paterson University.

The Murphy administration Friday also said that, to ensure that individuals who are uninsured have access to testing for COVID-19, hospitals and federally qualified health centers must waive patient fees for testing and diagnostic services for those who lack health insurance.

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“Every single New Jerseyan with symptoms must have access to COVID-19 testing if we are going to end this crisis,” Murphy said. “Waiving testing fees for the uninsured is a critical step in allowing us to prevent more New Jerseyans from being infected and to identify those who already have been infected so they can get the care they need.”

In a memo to the New Jersey Hospital Association, Persichilli said hospitals will be able to submit claims for reimbursement to the charity care program, which provides subsidies to hospitals for care they provide to the uninsured. And qualified health centers will be able to submit claims to the Uncompensated Care Fund.