ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County towns have seen at least 11 presumptive positive coronavirus cases as of Sunday afternoon, including cases in Nutley, Maplewood, Bloomfield, Millburn, Montclair and Newark, officials say.

On Sunday, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. appeared at a press conference in Newark, as officials announced the city's first presumptive positive case of the new coronavirus known as COVID-19. DiVincenzo said the entire county has seen 11 positive cases of coronavirus, including in the following municipalities:

Bloomfield – 2

Maplewood – 1

Millburn – 2

Montclair – 3

Nutley – 2

Newark - 1 "There's no question the numbers are going to get higher and higher," DiVincenzo said. DiVincenzo said he's asking state officials for two drive-by testing stations to be set up in Essex County, including one in Newark and one in West Essex.

Essex County officials have been taking several measures to protect residents from the new coronavirus, including closing several facilities, postponing events and changing visiting policies. In addition, the Essex County Sheriff's Office will be suspending foreclosures, evictions and sheriff's sales until the public health emergency is over.

The number of people with the coronavirus in New Jersey had risen to 69 as of Saturday. Authorities said two people have died. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know



Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency, schools across the state have begun to cancel classes, and local governments and community organizations have launched their own efforts to protect residents from the virus.

In general — depending on where they live — New Jersey residents still face a "low risk" of contracting COVID-19, State Epidemiologist Christina Tan said during a Wednesday press conference.