Bergen County Executive James Tedesco declared a countywide state of emergency on Tuesday following the death of a 69-year-old Little Ferry man who is New Jersey's first death attributed to the COVID-19 virus.

All county-run schools will close for students until at least the end of next week, with teachers expected to attend on Wednesday and Thursday to make plans for at-home instruction. Bergen Community College, closed to students this week for spring break, will remain closed until the end of next week.

Visiting hours at the county’s Rockleigh nursing home will end immediately. Visitors will also not be allowed at the roughly 570-bed long-term care facility at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus.

Meanwhile, senior citizens with high-risk exposure to the coronavirus will be asked not to visit Bergen County senior citizen facilities.

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Tedesco announced the moves at a grim press conference Tuesday afternoon at county headquarters in Hackensack where he passed along his condolences to the deceased man’s family. It was the third coronavirus-related press conference for Tedesco since news broke last week of the state’s first coronavirus case in Fort Lee.

“I hoped that we would not face this day, but today has come,” Tedesco said. "These are just the first steps that we're taking here in Bergen County to make sure that we minimize the risks, the spread of this disease to the people of Bergen County."

New Jersey officials announced Tuesday that the number of coronavirus cases in the state has climbed to 15, including the deceased Little Ferry resident. Seven of them are in Bergen County.

There are no coronavirus cases among the student population of Bergen County's schools, according to Howard Lerner, superintendent of the Bergen County Special Services School District. But Tedesco said the county is closing them to "control the spread" of the virus. Students from all over Bergen and other counties attend the county's schools.

Not counting snow-related emergencies, this is the first countywide state of emergency declared since Hurricane Sandy devastated the region in 2012.

The emergency declaration bans all county business related to international travel or domestic travel to any states that have reported coronavirus cases; permits the county to award emergency contracts for relocation purposes or to purchase food, supplies and equipment; and allows the county health officer to implement emergency regulations in the 35 municipalities where health services are overseen by the county.

Terrence T. McDonald is a reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: mcdonaldt@northjersey.com Twitter: @terrencemcd