The positive cases and deaths of coronavirus continue to climb. New York State leads the way with nearly 60,000 cases and New Jersey is second in the nation with more than 11,000 cases as of Sunday.
There are more than 1,000 virus related deaths between the two states. Stats show the hospitalization rate for coronavirus patients is doubling every six days now in New York State. It’s decreasing because it wasn’t too long ago it was every 2 days.
However, the numbers of those infected continue to increase rapidly and the State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker says the number of deaths keeps going up.
“Already we are at 965 and so we do see in the thousands but again these are models and and we have to plan for what the model might show but hopefully it will be less”
Meanwhile, Governor Cuomo says non essential business will have their physical locations shut until at least April 15. Despite projections of the coronavirus peaking in three weeks, Cuomo thinks a normal work place setting won’t come until a home test is available.
“Doctor Fauci, He talks about faster, easier testing. If you can test millions of people. If you can test today millions of people, you can send them to work tomorrow.”
In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy is ordering lenders to give a 90 day grace period on mortgage payments. He’s also asking landlords and credit card companies to make it easier on folks.
“Lowering credit card interest rates to reflect the reality many families are living, to waive late fees and excess exercise compassion when people call with financial hardship. We all need to get through this together.
Governor Murphy is once again emphasizing residents need to say home unless it’s necessary to go out. He even talked about cops charging the organizer of a party Friday night in Ewing.
“With 47 people including a de-jay crammed into a 550 square foot apartment.” The state’s Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli is asking grocery and pharmacy store clerks to use hand sanitizer after each interaction with a customer and to change gloves often.
"Repeated use of the same gloves between customers can actually be worse than not wearing gloves at all because the gloves could become contaminated and with the virus you could be spreading coronavirus around.”
Chief Innovation Officer for the Murphy administration -- Beth Noveck says the state needs volunteers.
“If you are a doctor, you’re a nurse, you’re a healthcare worker of any kind, we desperately need your assistance.”