Hoboken Updates Hospital Coronavirus Cases; Schools Find More

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said Friday in a Nixle alert that there are currently 24 coronavirus patients in Hoboken University Medical Center, of which five are Hoboken residents.

There were 49 new confirmed cases among Hoboken residents from Wednesday through Friday inclusive, Bhalla said. That brings the total of residents testing positive since early March to 1,516. There have been 1,112 full recoveries and 32 deaths, the city said.

Last week, the city announced its first death of a resident from coronavirus since May. The resident was in her mid 60s, Bhalla said.

Hoboken, a city of 53,000 people across the river from Manhattan, was among the first in the region to begin shutting facilities in advance of the pandemic in March.

In June, after months of closures and isolation, the city went a week with only one case, and in August, there were only six cases in one week. But cases began rising in autumn with more gatherings.

While deaths were declining statewide, they are starting to rise again. Last week, from Monday to Tuesday, the state of New Jersey reported 90 new fatalities, the highest number since July.

At the height of the crisis in New Jersey, 460 people died from the virus in 24 hours on April 30. (READ MORE: 'I Cannot Get Air': When Local Woman Begged For Coronavirus Test.) The lowest daily death rate was Sept. 8, when the state announced two new deaths confirmed in 24 hours.

Doctors have said that a number of factors are contributing to the fact that the daily death rate is lower now than in spring, including people getting test results (and thus treatment) sooner, more protective equipment available in hospitals, and doctors becoming better able to treat the virus. However, the virus still can have long-term effects.

Hoboken schools required testing before return

Before Thanksgiving, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that there were more than 2,500 hospitalizations statewide due to the virus. And eighteen of 21 New Jersey counties have been designated "high risk."

As a result, many school districts in North Jersey, including Hoboken, went remote after Thanksgiving, anticipating that people would travel and gather with family.

However, Hoboken Superintendent of Schools Christine Johnson said in a public message that the Hoboken schools could reopen for on-site learning this week — provided students take advantage of a pilot program to get tested the weekend before.

Students who were not tested for the virus, or who tested positive, could not return to the buildings Monday.

The result?

Johnson said in a letter Sunday that "Close to 2,000 students and staff members tested this weekend and we had a total of 17 positives — 1 adult and 16 children. We have the lists of those that tested and were informed of those that need to quarantine and have checked it against our onsite list for tomorrow morning."

The Hoboken schools are among the few districts in the state offering full-day classes. They also offer remote learning, as districts in New Jersey are required to do.

"It is with my sincere hope that we can successfully navigate these next two and a half weeks of school, prior to the winter break," Johnson wrote.

More than 283,000 Americans and 15,000 people in New Jersey have died from the virus as of Monday.

Here is more information on Hoboken coronavirus testing, statistics, schools, and more:

ONGOING CORONAVIRUS TESTING IN HOBOKEN

• Consult the latest Hoboken Nixle alert for new testing updates, and check below for general guidelines and signups.
• Prompt MD has added additional testing. Proof of residency or employment at a Hoboken business is required at the time of testing. http://www.hobokennj.gov/promptmd.
• Riverside Medical is also continuing testing for Hoboken residents. Appointments can be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis by visiting http://www.hobokennj.gov/riverside. If a resident has signed up for a test with Riverside but can no longer make it, please call 201-863-3346 to cancel the appointment. The testing center has moved to 16th Street; read more here.
• A covid-19 test is recommended at least 5-7 days after a potential exposure, and that many who have contracted the virus do not have symptoms. Receiving a COVID-19 test prior to the 5-7 days after a potential exposure may yield inaccurate results.
• If returning from a state on New Jersey's quarantine list or have had a high-risk exposure, which includes contact of over 10 minutes to someone who has tested positive, living in the same household as someone with COVID-19 or attending a large indoor gathering without face masks, residents should self-quarantine for the full 14 days, even with a negative test result, the city says.

HOBOKEN RECREATION

A week ago Sunday, Mayor Bhalla announced that winter recreation programs have been canceled in Hoboken.

HOBOKEN SCHOOLS

• The schools remain remote for at least one week after Thanksgiving break. Read more here.
• Hoboken's Wallace Primary School recently closed temporarily after two student cases were confirmed.
• Mayor Bhalla wrote three weeks ago, "Our Health Department has confirmed that our schools are taking every possible safety measure to keep our children safe, and that there is little evidence that the schools themselves are the reason for covid-19 spread, as opposed to behavior outside the school."
• Recently, one of the city's charter schools, Elysian Charter, closed temporarily because a student tested positive for the virus.
• The Hoboken public schools started the 2020-2021 school year Monday, Sept. 14 remotely, and reopened on-site Sept. 21 for those who requested it.
• In September, the district offered a reopening plan giving parents a choice of either full-time on-site learning (until 3 p.m.) or full-time distance learning. In the buildings, there are restrictions, such as kids wearing masks and maintaining a 6-foot distance.

LOCAL BUSINESS

• More than 50 of the city's restaurants opened the week of June 15 for outdoor dining. READ MORE.
• Some of those have added "streateries" for outdoor dining. READ MORE.
• The city of Hoboken is making it easier for restaurants to continue to offer outdoor dining through the winter months.
• Two of the city's weekly farmers' markets reopened in June. READ MORE.
• The city has been closing off certain blocks for businesses to expand and draw foot traffic. READ MORE.
• Restaurants in New Jersey can allow indoor dining at 25 percent capacity, and keep serving indoors until 10 p.m. Read more about Hoboken indoor dining here.

HOBOKEN LIBRARY

• See story here.

HOBOKEN VIRUS TRENDS

• 32 Hoboken residents have passed away from coronavirus.
• Hoboken was one of the first cities in the region to begin closing facilities when the virus began spreading in the U.S.
• In June, after months of closures and isolation, the city went a week with only one case, and in August, there were only six cases in one week. But cases began rising in autumn with more gatherings.

NATIONAL STATISTICS

• Use this link to see the updated fatality count in the United States.
• More than 900 health care workers have died of the virus nationally.
• Others are simultaneously fighting misinformation and hoaxes as they try to fight the virus.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

• During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.
• The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.
• New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.
• Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.
• Programs are being added constantly, so don't think you can't get help. Reach out to your local mayor's office to find out what kind of funds may be available to help you get through this time.

LONG-TERM CARE

• Recently, there were 159 long term care facilities with active outbreaks, the state Department of Health said this month. The state also announced that deaths at the facilities had more than doubled since May 1. The state has stopped updating the numbers at facilities without current outbreaks.
• New Jersey residents were already alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities. The state announced plans in May to increase testing at some long term care facilities and to bring in the National Guard temporarily to help make changes.
• The state released death toll statistics late in spring for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.
• You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.
• Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.

Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

Got news? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. To be the first to get news alerts with breaking stories in Hoboken, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.