| New Jersey today reported an additional 2,481 confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 116,264. Statewide, there were 6,289 COVID-19 related hospitalizations as of last night, continuing a steady decrease since mid-April. 1,811 are in critical or intensive care, and 1,327 require ventilators. Hospitalization trends varied across the state, with numbers dropping in northern New Jersey and rising in southern New Jersey (chart above). For more in-depth information regarding hospitalizations, please visit our COVID-19 data page. New Jersey reported an additional 329 deaths, a continued spike after the weekend and bringing the total number of fatalities in the state to 6,770. That is twice the number than in any other state except New York, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. |
| State and federal response Gov. Phil Murphy today announced an executive order to reopen state parks and allow county parks as well as golf courses to also open, effective at sunrise on Saturday, May 2.Social distancing rules would continue to be mandated. A second executive order signed by the governor will allow for any petition to place municipal or county initiatives on the ballot to be signed electronically, the same as candidate petitions. The Murphy administration announced $24 million in state and federal resources for temporary wage increases for the direct support professionals who care for adult individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in group homes and supervised apartments$10.6 million in state funding and $13.4 million in federal matching resources. NJ Department of Labor will begin notifying recipients of the first round of federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments. Murphy announced a partnership between the state and NJMEP to manufacture face masks and gowns in-state. NJ Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson and Children and Families Commissioner Christine Beyer today announced the state will continue to help pay for child care for essential employees as defined in Executive Order 110 through at least the end of May. The NJ Department of Human Services announced that additional federal funds to many residents who receive food assistance through the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).An additional $36 million will be provided to about 214,000 New Jersey households in May. |
Related news story and video:
Organ donations in NJ down 65% in April
BY Joanna Gagis, Producer/Correspondent, NJTV News | April 29, 2020, 3PM EST
Vicki Bernstein has a lung condition called sarcoidosis, along with COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
“Been diagnosed about 18 years now, and the past year or so it’s really gotten much worse. I have a very difficult time obviously breathing, when I’m walking,” she said. “It’s scary when you get to that point where you can’t breathe and you’re like, shouldn’t the oxygen help me. And it’s not always a quick fix.”
About three years ago, Bernstein’s doctors recommended she get on the transplant waiting list for new lungs, but she says she wasn’t ready until a cold landed her in the hospital.
“And that’s when I said, ‘It’s time. I need to get on the list,’” she said. “Then of course, corona came around and it makes things even worse because if they do call you there’s a lot of concerns.”
She’s concerned about undergoing surgery at a time when exposure to coronavirus within a hospital setting is high. But Joe Roth, who heads New Jersey’s organ and tissue procurement organization, has different concerns.
“Through April, we’re down about 65% in terms of donation. Now in a normal time that wouldn’t worry us because it’s hard to forecast anyway during normal times what your donation rates are going to be. But at a time like this where there’s a lot of uncertainty as to how long this is going to string out, it’s of great concern to us that donation’s fallen,” Roth said.
