New Jersey COVID-19 hospitalizations at four-month high as cases rise

New Jersey reported more than 1,800 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, marking 17 straight days of more than 1,000 new cases as the state battles a fall resurgence of COVID-19.

According to the state dashboard, hospitals reported 1,133 patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases as of Nov. 2, the highest in four months.

There have now been seven consecutive days where hospitalizations have topped 1,000, and the number has more than doubled in the past month.

Intensive care units had 216 patients, compared with 88 on Oct. 2, for a sixth straight day of a 200-plus count. Still, the number is a far cry from May, when the state’s ICUs had more than 1,000 patients. 

New Jersey was hit hard early in the pandemic, along with neighboring New York, but managed to bring cases down considerably in the summer. 

But COVID-19 infections have been rising across the entire country as people have grown weary with physical distancing measures and have been congregating indoors as the weather has cooled.

Cases are rising in all but three states, even as President Trump insists the country is “rounding the turn” the virus will be swiftly controlled. 

The virus has killed more than 232,000 people in the country, and total confirmed coronavirus cases have surpassed 9 million.

Officials have said the recent increases are not because of indoor dining in bars and restaurants, but mainly because of small gatherings inside private homes and because of fatigue over restrictions.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced the new numbers on Twitter Tuesday, as residents head to the polls for Election Day.

“This Election Day, we’re still in the midst of a pandemic,” Murphy wrote. “Wear a mask. Social distance. Stay safe.”

According to the dashboard, the statewide rate of transmission was stable at 1.28 but is still above the critical benchmark rate of 1.0, which means the virus will spread quickly.