Gov. Murphy: Lowest Daily NJ Coronavirus Death Toll In 6 Months

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy revealed on Monday that New Jersey had its lowest daily confirmed death toll in six months, announcing that the Garden State had 344 new coronavirus cases and two more deaths.

Other data released in recent days was not as promising as New Jersey's transmission rate has ticked up again, showing that the state is still struggling to contain the coronavirus spread.

But New Jersey, which was among the first states to suffer the worst effects of the outbreak when it first hit the United States in March, now has seen its daily numbers sink to among the lowest levels in the nation (see daily case and fatality numbers below).

The total number of coronavirus cases rose on Monday to 194,390, and 14,208 confirmed deaths have been reported. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Murphy said New Jersey's promising numbers gave the state reason to finally move forward on indoor dining this past week, allowing it to reopen at 25 percent capacity. Read more: Gov. Murphy Issues 58 COVID Reopening Rules For NJ Indoor Dining

"We're a heck of a lot better than we were four months ago," Murphy said, noting that April was when New Jersey had its highest daily coronavirus numbers. "But we're still not out of the woods."

Here are some of the promising, and not-so-promising signs that may allow New Jersey to take – or refrain from taking – more steps to reopen in the coming weeks:

Fatality and case rates

New Jersey had its lowest daily fatality report since March 20th on Monday, when only two deaths were also reported.

One note should be made about that report, however: It only refers to fatalities that were confirmed as coronavirus-related on Monday. Hospitals, meanwhile, reported that 12 probable deaths happened in New Jersey within the last 24 hours.

Still, New Jersey's daily numbers have slowed by more than 90 percent since 4,427 new cases were reported on April 23rd, and 460 deaths were reported on April 30th (see numbers below).

In terms of total cases, New Jersey was behind only New York during the early days of the outbreak in March and April. Now it has the eighth highest total number among all states:

New Jersey, however, still has the second highest fatality number in the nation.

Transmission rate

Murphy has relied heavily on this indicator to determine whether to reopen the state. After weeks of hovering around 0.80, the number was back up to 1.09 on Monday.

Rising above 1.0 sets off alarm bells because researchers consider that number to be the critical dividing line between controlling the virus and not. Hitting 1.0 means that every person with coronavirus in New Jersey is probably infecting at least one other person.

Murphy, however, appeared to urge calm on Friday when he first revealed that the transmission rate rose above 1.0 again, saying he doesn't think there is any particularly area of the state – nor was there any incident – that was cause for concern.

"This is sort of the way this virus goes," Murphy said.

Schools are reopening again, and Murphy said he and state officials will be paying particular attention to the transmission rate since nearly two-thirds of New Jersey's districts will start with some form of in-person instruction this week. Read more: 242 NJ School Districts Now All-Remote Amid Coronavirus

Here is the transmission rate:

Positivity rate

New Jersey's positivity rate continues to be a strong, positive indicator the state.

While some states – such as as Mississippi and Alabama – say 15 percent or more of those tested are positive for the coronavirus, New Jersey's positivity number is below 2 percent. Johns Hopkins University says the United State's positivity rate is around 5 percent.

What also makes New Jersey's positivity rate satisfying, Murphy said, is that the Garden State has among the largest testing capacities in the nation and "folks are going out and getting tested."

Contact tracing

New Jersey continues to struggle with containing cases through contact tracing.

Half of the people contacted by contact tracers have refused to cooperate, he said. The governor emphasized that contact tracers have important work in determining where the disease is, and who should be quarantined.

If people don't cooperate with contact tracers, Murphy said, then the steps New Jersey took reopen its economy could be "in jeopardy."

"I really cannot put it any clearer," he said. "Our contact tracers only care about protecting public health and only protecting you and your family and friends."

"We cannot ahead of this virus if you don't work with our contact tracers."

Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day:

• September 7: 344
• September 6: 360
• September 5: 370
• September 4: 478
• September 3: 455
• September 2: 329
• September 1: 365
• August 31: 352
• August 30: 306
• August 29: 388
• August 28: 372
• August 27: 374
• August 26: 288
• August 25: 346
• August 24: 225
• August 23: 288
• August 22: 427
• August 21: 313
• August 20: 302
• August 19: 399
• August 18: 400
• August 17: 316
• August 16: 329
• August 15: 464
• August 14: 585
• August 13: 699
• August 12: 484
• August 11: 498
• August 10: 258
• August 9: 378
• August 8: 379
• August 7: 384
• August 6: 411
• August 5: 378
• August 4: 416
• August 3: 264
• August 2: 331
• August 1: 393
• July 31: 699
• July 30: 261
• July 29: 489
• July 28: 565
• July 27: 446
• July 26: 512
• July 25: 547
• July 24: 488
• July 23: 344
• July 22: 390
• July 21: 424
• July 20: 177
• July 19: 144
• July 18: 309
• 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:

• September 7: 2
• September 6: 4
• September 5: 7
• September 4: 7
• September 3: 9
• September 2: 11
• September 1: 7
• August 31: 8
• August 30: 4
• August 29: 4
• August 28: 9
• August 27: 7
• August 26: 11
• August 25: 5
• August 24: 3
• August 23: 3
• August 22: 3
• August 21: 13
• August 20: 8
• August 19: 11
• August 18: 10
• August 17: 4
• August 16: 4
• August 15: 7
• August 14: 10
• August 13: 8
• August 12: 9
• August 11: 14
• August 10: 4
• August 9: 5
• August 8: 9
• August 7: 12
• August 6: 8
• August 5: 8
• August 4: 11
• August 3: 10
• August 2: 6
• August 1: 11
• July 31: 10
• July 30: 16
• July 29: 18
• July 28: 24
• July 27: 17
• July 26: 11
• July 25: 16
• July 24: 36
• July 23: 23
• July 22: 24
• July 21: 21
• July 20: 9
• July 19: 11
• July 18: 16
• 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

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.