Reopening New Jersey: Coronavirus cases on the rise, could qualify for own quarantine list

Thursday, July 30, 2020

COVID cases on the rise across New Jersey

Derick Waller reports on a spike in coronavirus cases in New Jersey and what officials believe may be behind it

PISCATAWAY, New Jersey (WABC) -- Coronavirus cases are on the rise in New Jersey, as the U.S. has surpassed 150,000 coronavirus deaths with hot spots continuing to pop up across the country.

The Garden State has reported 2,000 cases over the past four days, and Gov. Phil Murphy is blaming indoor house parties for the growing numbers.

In fact, it is possible that the average daily cases per 100,000 residents metric keeps increasing, the state could mathematically be eligible for its own Tri-State Travel Advisory within two weeks.

Among the new emerging hot spots are New Jersey's Camden County and Mercer County, which includes Princeton and Trenton. These counties had not been on the hot spot list since April 13.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is lashing out after video showed a massive crowds gathered in front of the stage at a Chainsmokers concert in the Hamptons.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo responded by saying he views New Jersey as a neighbor and is working with them, but that there will be no blockade.

"I don't know how you could quarantine New jersey," he said. "They don't fly into New York. You would have to blockade roads, and we are not talking about blockading."

At Rutgers University, the spike in cases has the potential to doom the football season after reports of student athletes attending indoor parties and getting infected.

The university's football program had already suspended team workouts due to several players contracting the virus, and now, the state says that outbreak is linked to house parties, at least one of which was reportedly on campus.

This comes as the state deals with other large house parties in recent weeks, including one in Middletown and a party Sunday in Jackson.

In that case, police were called after 700 people gathered at a mansion that was rented out through Airbnb.

"When there are hundreds of people crammed into a house where the air conditioning system is simply blowing the air around and where people are not wearing face coverings, you have also invited coronavirus to your party," said Governor Murphy.

Murphy says the new infections have set the state back to levels not seen in a month.

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