New Jersey reports nearly 2,500 new coronavirus cases in one day

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced a total of more than 6,800 cases of COVID-19 in the state on Thursday, marking an uptick of 2,492 cases since Wednesday.

“We’ve received 2,492 new positive #COVID19 test results since yesterday, bringing our statewide total to 6,876. This includes 436 positive tests from our mass-testing sites,” Murphy wrote in a Twitter update.

UPDATE: We’ve received 2,492 new positive #COVID19 test results since yesterday, bringing our statewide total to 6,876. This includes 436 positive tests from our mass-testing sites.

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 26, 2020

President Trump approved a disaster declaration for New Jersey on Wednesday, making more federal funding and aid available as conditions in the state grow worse, according to a local ABC affiliate.

Murphy confirmed that of the 2,492 additional cases from yesterday, 436 of the positive tests came from mass-testing sites.

New Jersey is expanding its drive-thru testing centers for the coronavirus throughout the state, but focusing its most significant efforts on the northern part closest to the New York City epicenter.

Two drive-thru testing centers opened in the state this week — one in Newark’s Weequahic Park and a facility for Passaic County residents at William Paterson University.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo declared that appointments are mandatory to get tested for the coronavirus, and residents should go to the county’s website to complete a screening form and make an appointment.

On Wednesday, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the current outbreak in New York City is just the first in a wave of local outbreaks that could affect major cities in the coming weeks.

Anne Schuchat, the principal deputy director of the CDC, said it would be surprising if cases did not increase in many parts of the country.

“We’re looking at our flu syndromic data, our respiratory illness that presents at emergency departments. Across the country there’s a number of areas that are escalating,” she said. “The numbers in New York are so large that they show up, but we’re looking at increases over time and we’re really seeing some in a number of places.”