Coronavirus Update: 2 Men In Their 30s Among Latest Deaths In N.J., More Drive-Thru Testing Sites To Open
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Jersey rose by 2,196 to a total of 18,696 cases, along with 69 new death to a total of 267 killed by coronavirus-related illness, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday.
Among the latest patients were a 30-year-old man and a 33-year-old man.
"One of those precious souls lost was Passaic firefighter Israel Tolentino Jr.," said the governor. "He became a firefighter about a year and a half ago, he had been a volunteer before that he had served as an EMT. He was only 33 years old."
Tolentino leaves behind a wife and two children, ages 9 and 7.
"You may have read about Ben Luderer, who was the head baseball coach at Cliffside Park, 30 years old," said Murphy. "A star in that famous Don Bosco prep. I think (an) undefeated team of 2008, they were number one in the nation. He went on and played at Marist."
Luderer leaves behind a wife.
"Just stop for a second, you just heard about a 33-year-old and a 30-year-old. Now you're going to hear from Judy when she goes through the dimensions of the fatalities that
"Those are on the somewhat exceptions side, clearly the demographic that is older is the one that's being hit the hardest, but may I just repeat to everybody who's listening: This is a reality for all of us. This is not abstract, no matter how good our health is no matter how young we might be."
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Across the state, Bergen County continues to be New Jersey's hotspot:
- Bergen County: 2,909 cases
- Essex County: 1,900 cases
- Hudson County: 1,606 cases
- Union County: 1,418 cases
- Passaic County: 1,294 cases
- Middlesex County: 1,277 cases
- Monmouth County: 1,140 cases
- Ocean County: 1,022 cases
- Morris County: 841 cases
- Somerset County: 413 cases
- Mercer County: 268 cases
- Camden County: 228 cases
- Burlington County: 202 cases
- Sussex County: 132 cases
- Gloucester County: 114 cases
- Hunterdon County: 97 cases
- Warren County: 76 cases
- Atlantic County: 31 cases
- Cumberland County: 18 cases
- Cape May County: 12 cases
- Salem County: 12 cases
"I cannot be any clearer in my call. stay at home before this hits home like it has now for 267 of our families," said Murphy. "Please do your part to flatten this curve that we showed you yesterday."
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The govrnor said a drive-thru testing site will open at PNC Bank Arts on Wednesday at 8 a.m., but only for symptomatic state residents. The Bergen County Community College site will be closed for the day.
"In a perfect world, the federal government would give us all the testing material we need, all the personal protective equipment that we need, and we could be like South Korea. From moment one we realized that wasn't the case. We didn't have that level of material and support from the federal government. So, we made the decision, for obvious personal health reasons, to test symptomatic people only," Murphy said.
Coronavirus Update: Gov. Phil Murphy Updates On NJ COVID-19 Effects --
He said three more county-sponsored sites have come on-line of late. Middlesex County will open a drive-thru site at the Motor Vehicle Commission's vehicle inspection center in Madison on Wednesday. It will be open three days a week -- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Testing there is by appointment only and you must be both a Middlesex County resident and exhibiting symptoms of respiratory illness. You can find more information at NJ.gov/covid19testing, or you could call 732-745-3100.
Murphy said Ocean County opened its public testing site at Ocean County College on Monday and served 126 residents. That site is open Monday-Friday by appointment only for county residents who are exhibiting symptoms. For more information or to make an appointment, please visit the Ocean County Health Department online at ochd.org.
Also Wednesday, Camden County will be opening a testing site at Cooper's Point Park in Camden, which will be open from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. each weekday through April 15. Again, testing is only by appointment.
The governor said there are more than two dozen testing sites open throughout the state, with more to come.