What to Know
- The NJ Health Department and Governor Phil Murphy both announced Wednesday the first “presumptive positive” test of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state. The man, who is in his 30’s, has been hospitalized in Bergen County, New Jersey, since March 3, officials said.
- Sources told NBC New York the man had some type of contact with one of the COVID-19 cases that have been confirmed in New York.
- The result came from a sample that was tested by the NJ Department of Health at the New Jersey Public Health Environmental Laboratories (PHEL). The sample is being submitted to the CDC for further testing to confirm.
A man who sources say was in contact with at least one of the coronavirus cases in New York is believed to be the first positive case of COVID-19 in New Jersey, according to officials.
The NJ Health Department and Governor Phil Murphy both announced Wednesday the first “presumptive positive” test of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state. The man, who is in his 30’s, has been hospitalized in Bergen County, New Jersey, since March 3, officials said.
Sources told NBC New York the man had some type of contact with one of the COVID-19 cases that have been confirmed in New York. “Presumptive positive” indicates that it’s highly probable the man tested positive for coronavirus, though it has not been officially confirmed by the CDC.
The result came from a sample that was tested by the NJ Department of Health at the New Jersey Public Health Environmental Laboratories (PHEL). The sample is being submitted to the CDC for further testing to confirm.
“My Administration is working aggressively to keep residents safe and contain the spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey,” Governor Murphy said. “We take this situation very seriously and have been preparing for this for weeks. I urge residents to remain calm and use resources from the New Jersey Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control to prepare and prevent the spread of infection. Safeguarding the public’s health is one of my highest priorities and my Administration is prepared to respond swiftly to any additional positive cases of COVID-19 here in New Jersey.”
State and local health officials are still proceeding with their investigation and response as if it was a confirmed case. The hospital is working with the Department of Health and following all infectious disease protocols while the NJ Health Department is tracing close contacts of the man.
Health
“Any case of novel coronavirus in our state is concerning, however most New Jersey residents are at very low risk of contracting COVID-19,” New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said. “The Department is working closely with the CDC and local health officials to respond to this case and is monitoring the evolving situation across the nation.”
The development came the same day that federal health officials said they were providing the state with $1.75 million in what they called initial funding to respond to the virus in New Jersey.
The U.S. has more than 120 cases in at least 15 states, with 11 deaths, all but one of them in Washington state.
China accounted for the overwhelming majority of the world's 94,000 infections and 3,200 deaths since the virus first surfaced there in late December.
