VIRUS: MURPHY NOTES HOSPITAL TREND

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 continue to rise in New Jersey, data show. (New Jersey Health Department graphic. Click to enlarge.)

hot topic red bank nj

By JOHN T. WARD

Though New Jersey’s rate of COVID-19 transmission has been easing in recent weeks, that data conceals a harsh reality, Governor Phil Murphy said at his regular briefing Wednesday.

At 1.08 percent, the rate of COVID-19 transmission is at its lowest point since September 16, but “it still means that each new case is leading to more than one other new case,” he said. “This virus is still spreading.”

More important, he said, is the rising number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 since early October.

“There is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between the increasing number of cases and the increase in the number of patients in our hospitals,” Murphy said. “That much is not up for debate. It is simple math.”

As of Tuesday, the state’s 71 hospitals were treating 3,287 COVID-19 patients, with 599 in intensive care and 354 on ventilators, according to the New Jersey Health Department website. Both the latter figures have also been climbing in recent weeks.

Though 367 patients were discharged Tuesday, another 507 “were right there to fill those beds and were admitted,” Murphy said.

The number hospitalized has not been seen since mid-May, before the pandemic entered a widely expected summer trough. Now, health experts and government officials are forecasting a “dark winter” of spreading illness, even as vaccines appear to be on the horizon.

Hospitals statewide reported another 51 COVID-19 related fatalities overnight, though Murphy noted that figure was unconfirmed.

In their daily update on the pandemic Wednesday, Monmouth County officials reported 297 new positive tests from Tuesday, for a total 21,263 since the arrival of the pandemic in March.

In Red Bank, more than 700 COVID-19 cases have now been confirmed, up more than 200 since mid-November, the county reported.

Separately, the state’s pandemic dashboard indicated that, as of Wednesday, 818 Monmouth County resident deaths had been attributed to COVID-19, up 2 from Tuesday. The number of deaths considered “probable” results of the virus remained at 92, according to the agency’s pandemic dashboard.

Monmouth officials also announced the availability of free mobile testing sites for healthcare workers starting December 8. A schedule and other details can be found here.

Here are the latest cumulative case totals by Monmouth County town:

December 2 December 1
Aberdeen 565 557
Allenhurst 32 31
Allentown 32 32
Asbury Park 550 546
Atlantic Highlands 99 97
Avon-by-the-Sea 53 52
Belmar 134 132
Bradley Beach 129 127
Brielle 150 150
Colts Neck 311 304
Deal 139 138
Eatontown 574 572
Englishtown 82 82
Fair Haven 129 128
Farmingdale 32 29
Freehold Borough 668 661
Freehold Twp 1262 1238
Hazlet 661 649
Highlands 101 100
Holmdel 551 544
Howell 1601 1573
Interlaken 32 31
Keansburg 343 342
Keyport 221 219
Lake Como 54 54
Little Silver 149 143
Loch Arbour 10 10
Long Branch 1445 1432
Manalapan 1203 1192
Manasquan 137 134
Marlboro 1191 1179
Matawan 417 412
Middletown 1868 1835
Millstone 236 229
Monmouth Beach 75 74
Neptune City 165 161
Neptune Twp 1097 1082
Ocean 993 977
Oceanport 171 169
Red Bank 703 691
Roosevelt 18 18
Rumson 172 168
Sea Bright 51 50
Sea Girt 62 57
Shrewsbury Boro 171 164
Shrewsbury Twp 35 33
Spring Lake 65 65
Spring Lake Hts 116 115
Tinton Falls 497 489
Union Beach 138 134
Upper Freehold 186 180
Wall 836 823
West Long Branch 523 525

If you value the kind of news coverage redbankgreen delivers, please become a paying member. Click here for details about our new, free newsletter and membership information.