6 NJ Presumptive Positive Coronavirus Cases; Probes in 9 Counties

UPDATE: At least five additional cases were identified on Monday. Read more: State Update On Coronavirus In NJ

NEW JERSEY – Two additional presumptive positive cases of the new coronavirus have been identified in New Jersey, bringing the state's total to six, state officials announced on Sunday. Investigations were also underway for potential cases in nine counties.

"From north to south, the coronavirus seems to be spreading," Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli told reports in a conference call.

The coronavirus cases were the first identified in New Jersey this weekend just as a number of schools and communities are taking precautions.

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• Here Are The NJ School Closures Amid Spread Of Coronavirus
  

Persichilli said one person was identified as a 70-year-old man from Teaneck and is hospitalized at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson. The man, who is a health care worker, is in the intensive care unit.

His symptoms developed on Feb. 6 and he was admitted on March 6, officials said.

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Persichilli said the health department hasn't been able to do all of its interviews so the state is not fully aware of what contacts the patient had.

The second person is a 32-year-old man from West New York. He also developed symptoms on Feb. 28 and was admitted to Hackensack University Medical Center on March 5. The state also needs to do more interviews so New Jersey can be aware of his contacts.

Persichilli said the state is now tracking 27 people who are under investigation. Here is where they are:

• Bergen: 9
• Camden 1
• Cumberland 2
• Essex 3
• Hunterdon 2
• Middlesex 2
• Monmouth 4
• Union 3
• Sussex 1

Persichilli said a Westchester rabbi who visited a synagogue in Passaic last week and an Uber driver who transported people to New Jersey were also under investigation.

Persichilli also revealed two of the people who have been diagnosed visited either City MD Paramus on Route 4 or Cooper University Urgent Care on Route 70 in Cherry Hill.

New Jersey had 15 cases under investigation on Sunday. Of those, two came back positive and seven came back negative, officials said.

One of the positive cases involved an attendee of the Conservative Political Action Conference. He attended from Feb. 27 though March 1, officials said, but he didn't have any contact with President Trump or Vice President Mike Pence.

The Murphy administration said the individual, a man in his 50s, is hospitalized at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Bergen County. The individual has been hospitalized since Thursday.

The person was the fourth presumptive positive case in New Jersey. Read more: 4th Presumptive Positive Case of Coronavirus In NJ

In West New York, Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez said he directed his town's health department to
immediately undertake a Public Health Action Plan, including a full investigation of the individual’s timeline, to assess the risk to public health.

He also said the individual does not have any children who are students in the West New York school district.

This is a developing story. Please check with Patch for updates.