Gov. Murphy: NJ Back 'On Track' To Contain Coronavirus

NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy is once again pointing to a research team's findings to salute something that's rarely determined in the United States: New Jersey is one of only three states on track to contain the coronavirus.

Murphy, during his most recent news conference, pointed to the findings of researchers and epidemiologists from the group Covid Act Now which has determined that only three states — New Jersey, Vermont and New Hampshire — are on track to contain the coronavirus.

New Jersey had been on the list of "green" states in late June but was removed by early July when the state's rate of transmission rose to 1.1. That means every person with coronavirus was transmitting the disease to more than 1 person at a time.

The state's rate has since dipped 0.84 since the New Jersey issued a public mask order and the dealt with a few hot spots in Manasquan, Hoboken and Westfield, among other places.

Related:

• Manasquan Suspends Recreation Programs After Local COVID Outbreak
• Westfield Teens Have Coronavirus 'Associated With A Party:' Mayor

New York, Massachusetts and Michigan were also among the states that have been listed as being "on track" but have since been removed from the list.

Murphy said New Jersey has once again gotten there because of the social distancing measures that have been in place since March, and the self-discipline New Jerseyans have shown in adhering to those measures.

Indeed, New Jersey's daily number of cases have dropped dramatically since there were a surge in cases in March and April. The number of cases rose to 175,298 on Sunday, and 13,594 confirmed deaths have been reported. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

But on Sunday, 349 new cases were reported, a 92 percent drop from the highest daily number of 4,427 on April 23.

Deaths also have dropped dramatically: On Sunday, there were 16 additional fatalities reported, a 96 percent drop from April 30, when there were 460 (see list of daily number of cases and fatalities going back to March below).

Here is the Sunday map from Covid Act Now, a nonprofit consortium of health care and public policy leaders from across the nation, including researchers and epidemiologists from Georgetown University and Stanford University:

Here is why New Jersey is doing well, according to Covid Act Now:

• Contact tracing: New Jersey has around 2,500 contact tracers. With an average of 269 new daily cases, Covid Act Now estimates New Jersey needs 1,345 contact tracing staff to trace all new cases in 48 hours, before too many other people are infected. This means that New Jersey is likely able to trace 100 percent of new COVID infections in 48 hours. "When this level of tracing is coupled with widely available testing, COVID can be contained without resorting to lockdowns," the team said
• Infection rate: On average, each person in New Jersey with COVID is infecting 0.84 other people, according to Covid Act Now. "Because each person is infecting less than one other person, the total number of current cases in New Jersey is shrinking," the team said.
• ICU headroom used: New Jersey has about 943 ICU beds, and Covid Act Now estimates that none are currently occupied by non-COVID patients. Of the 943 ICU beds remaining, 162 are needed by COVID cases, or 17 percent of available beds. "This suggests there is likely enough capacity to absorb a wave of new COVID infections," the team said.
• Positive test rate: A low percentage — 1.4 percent — of COVID tests are positive, "which suggests enough widespread, aggressive testing in New Jersey to detect most new cases," the group said. "Identifying and isolating new cases can help contain COVID without resorting to lockdowns."

Murphy said the tough measures New Jersey has taken have allowed for a series of reopenings, some of which — such as pool reopenings and organized sports — took place recently. He's also pulled back on some reopenings, such as indoor dining. Read more: Gov. Murphy: 'Hard Dates' In NJ Coronavirus Reopening Blueprint

Murphy said he talked to Rutgers University Football Coach Greg Schiano, who said New Jersey has undergone "pain of discipline where the alternative is the pain of regret."

"This proves the measures we've put in place — again, the pain of discipline and not the pain of regret, folks — and the hard decisions we made were the right ones," Murphy said "We are ready to take our next steps."

Related:

• Gov. Murphy: NJ 'On Track' To Contain Coronavirus; Here's Why
• NJ No Longer On Track To Contain Coronavirus, Study Shows

Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day:

• July 17: 202
• July 16: 254
• July 15: 396
• July 14: 423
• July 13: 231
• July 12: 349
• July 11: 438
• July 10: 367
• July 9: 354
• July 8: 335
• July 7: 310
• July 6: 216
• July 5: 398
• July 4: 303
• July 3: 386
• July 2: 539
• July 1: 423
• June 30: 461
• June 29: 156
• June 28: 354
• June 27: 347
• June 26: 524
• June 25: 406
• June 24: 317
• June 23: 382
• June 22: 359
• June 21: 411
• June 20: 446
• June 19: 516
• June 18: 442
• June 17: 330
• June 16: 470
• June 15: 274
• June 14: 305
• June 13: 523
• June 12: 495
• June 11: 539
• June 10: 611
• June 9: 375
• June 8: 356
• June 7: 426
• June 6: 606
• June 5: 864
• June 4: 603
• June 3: 652
• June 2: 708
• June 1: 509
• May 31: 868
• May 30: 910
• May 29: 1,117
• May 28: 1,261
• May 27: 970
• May 26: 703
• May 25: 965
• May 24: 1,065
• May 23: 443
• May 22: 1,394
• May 21: 1,304
• May 20: 1,670
• May 19: 1,055
• May 18: 1,735
• May 17: 1,272
• May 16: 1,239
• May 15: 1,297
• May 14: 1,216
• May 13: 1,028
• May 12: 898
• May 11: 1,453
• May 10: 1,503
• May 9: 1,759
• May 8: 1,985
• May 7: 1,827
• May 6: 1,513
• May 5: 2,494
• May 4: 1,621
• May 3: 3,144
• May 2: 2,912
• May 1: 2,651
• April 30: 2,633
• April 29: 2,481
• April 28: 2,887
• April 27: 2,146
• April 26: 3,730
• April 25: 3,457
• April 24: 3,047
• April 23: 4,427
• April 22: 3,551
• April 21: 3,644
• April 20: 3,528
• April 19: 3,915
• April 18: 3,026
• April 17: 3,250
• April 16: 4,391
• April 15: 2,625
• April 14: 4,049
• April 13: 3,219
• April 12: 3,733
• April 11: 3,599
• April 10: 3,627
• April 9: 3,748
• April 8: 3,088
• April 7: 3,361
• April 6: 3,663
• April 5: 3,482
• April 4: 4,331
• April 3: 4,372
• April 2: 3,489
• April 1: 3,649
• March 31: 2,196
• March 30: 3,347
• March 29: 2,316
• March 28: 2,289
• March 27: 1,982
• March 26: 2,492
• March 25: 736
• March 24: 846
• March 23: 935
• March 22: 590
• March 21: 442
• March 20: 155
• March 19: 318
• March 18: 162
• March 17: 89
• March 16: 80
• March 15: 31
• March 14: 19
• March 13: 21
• March 12: 21
• March 11: 8
• March 10: 4
• March 9: 5
• March 8: 6
• March 7: 1
• March 6: 1
• March 5: 1
• March 4: 1

Here is a look at coronavirus deaths by day:

• July 17: 20
• July 16: 32
• July 15: 27
• July 14: 28
• July 13: 22
• July 12: 16
• July 11: 49
• July 10: 31
• July 9: 28
• July 8: 53
• July 7: 52
• July 6: 20
• July 5: 23
• July 4: 25
• July 3: 58
• July 2: 27
• July 1: 45
• June 30: 47
• June 29: 18
• June 28: 30
• June 27: 36
• June 26: 44
• June 25: 26
• June 24: 48
• June 23: 57
• June 22: 27
• June 21: 17
• June 20: 25
• June 19: 37
• June 18: 38
• June 17: 47
• June 16: 51
• June 15: 52
• June 14: 40
• June 13: 103
• June 12: 48
• June 11: 70
• June 10: 74
• June 9: 91
• June 8: 40
• June 7: 79
• June 6: 60
• June 5: 79
• June 4: 92
• June 3: 112
• June 2: 51
• June 1: 27
• May 31: 66
• May 30: 113
• May 29: 131
• May 28: 66
• May 27: 148
• May 26: 54
• May 25: 16
• May 24: 52
• May 23: 96
• May 22: 146
• May 21: 98
• May 20: 168
• May 19: 162
• May 18: 83
• May 17: 107
• May 16: 116
• May 15: 201
• May 14: 244
• May 13: 197
• May 12: 198
• May 11: 59
• May 10: 140
• May 9: 166
• May 8: 162
• May 7: 254
• May 6: 308
• May 5: 334
• May 4: 45
• May 3: 137
• May 2: 205
• May 1: 311
• April 30: 460
• April 29: 329
• April 28: 402
• April 27: 106
• April 26: 75
• April 25: 249
• April 24: 253
• April 23: 307
• April 22: 314
• April 21: 379
• April 20: 177
• April 19: 132
• April 18: 231
• April 17: 323
• April 16: 362
• April 15: 351
• April 14: 365
• April 13: 94
• April 12: 168
• April 11: 251
• April 10: 233
• April 9: 198
• April 8: 275
• April 7: 232
• April 6: 86
• April 5: 71
• April 4: 200
• April 3: 113
• April 2: 182
• April 1: 91
• March 31: 69
• March 30: 37
• March 29: 21
• March 28: 32
• March 27: 27
• March 26: 19
• March 25: 18
• March 24: 17
• March 23: 7
• March 22: 4
• March 21: 5
• March 20: 2
• March 19: 4
• March 18: 3
• March 17: 0
• March 16: 1
• March 15: 0
• March 14: 1
• March 13: 0
• March 12: 0
• March 11: 0
• March 10: 1