Coronavirus New Jersey: 53 State Hospitals To Share $1.7 Billion In Federal Aid As Statewide COVID-19 Cases Approach 125,000
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS/AP) - New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Saturday 53 of the hardest-hit hospitals in the state will share $1.7 billion in federal aid to support health care workers, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the state continues to rise. A total of 2,912 new cases were reported, bringing the statewide total to 123,717.
Murphy said Saturday he was "incredibly satisfied" by the cash infusion, which he said would help the state's health care systems stay on sound financial footing.
"Many of our hospitals have taken quite simply a financial beating over the past two months, in addition to the general beating they've taken as all of their resources have been focused on getting their staffs everything they need to be protected and everything COVID19 patients need to beat this virus," he said. "This $1.7 billion will certainly help ensure that our entire health care systems is, itself, healthy to join us on the road back."
The amount is the second-largest given to any state, exceeded only by the amount going to health providers in New York.
Although the number of cases in the state continues to rise, Murphy says the rate of doubling of new cases is slowing.
"LOOK: The map of New Jersey continues to get lighter and lighter as the rate of doubling of new cases continues to slow," Murphy said.
The sate also reported an additional 205 deaths due to COVID-19 complications. The death toll in the state now stands at 7,742.
State parks reopened on Saturday but Murphy stressed he would not hesitate to close parks again if there were reports of any "knucklehead behavior."
On Friday, Murphy said he will be announcing what the remainder of the school year will look like on Monday.
He said he will also be signing an executive order relaxing the in-person requirements for both working papers for minors as well as the solemnization of marriage licenses for couples. Murphy said wedding ceremonies will be allowed to be held using video-conferencing technology, with certain safeguards and municipalities are still permitted to allow in-person ceremonies, subject to social distancing, but will not be required to do so.
Meanwhile, New Jersey will begin to test all its inmates and the Department of Corrections staff for coronavirus.
The testing will be done along with Rutgers University's Correctional Healthcare and Accurate Diagnostics Lab and use the university's new saliva test. Current tests are done using invasive nose or throat swabs. The saliva test requires only spitting into a tube, Rutgers has said.
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About 8,000 staff and 18,000 inmates will undergo testing, according to the governor. It's unclear when the testing will begin.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are at higher risk of more severe illness or death.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
