By Brent Johnson and Rodrigo Torrejon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

New Jersey on Saturday announced 16 more deaths attributed to the coronavirus and 309 more positive cases, while the state’s rate of transmission — a key metric officials are using to measure the virus’ spread and determine how to lift restrictions — held steady at 1.11.

The Garden State has reported 15,699 total deaths related to COVID-19 — 13,725 confirmed by a lab and 1,974 considered probable — with 176,814 total cases since the state announced its first positive test on March 4.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced the new numbers on Twitter.

This is the 10th straight day New Jersey has reported fewer than 20 additional deaths in one day.

Officials stress that not all new deaths announced in single day have come in the last 24 hours. Some happened weeks, even months, earlier as officials discover and confirm past cases.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

At least 31,400 residents in the state have recovered from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

There were 800 patients with the virus or under investigation for it across New Jersey, with 70 of 71 hospital reporting their numbers Friday night, officials said.

There were 141 patients in critical or intensive care Friday and 73 were on ventilators.

There were 59 coronavirus patients discharged from the state’s hospitals Friday, according to the state’s coronavirus tracking website.

Murphy said Friday the state remains “largely in a holding pattern” when it comes to more steps to lift lockdown restrictions, despite widespread unemployment and businesses suffering. The state is in Stage 2 of its multiphase reopening plan, but many indoor services and businesses remain closed.

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