Bridgewater Man Could Be 1st Somerset County Coronavirus Case

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — A Bridgewater resident is among six new presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus, state officials announced Thursday. This would be the first case in Somerset County.

The 23-year-old man from Bridgewater may have been exposed through close contact with a Pennsylvania resident, according to State Health Commissioner Judith Persichelli.

"The Bridgewater Health Department is monitoring the patient and working with the state to identify any potential contacts for follow-up," said Christine Madrid, Director of Human Services.

The Bridgewater patient is currently in isolation and the test result has been sent to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation, according to Madrid.

The six new cases bring the total number of cases statewide to 29 who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in New Jersey as of 2:3o p.m. and health officials say the virus may be "community-spread" in the state. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has recommended canceling all public gatherings including concerts, sporting events, and parades of more than 250 people because of the coronavirus scare.

"These measures are being taken as part of our coordinated response to the continued outbreak and to aggressively mitigate the spread of the virus. Additionally, for all events, we recommend that everyone practice commonsense hygiene, like washing hands routinely, staying home if you do not feel well, and keeping a six-foot distance from others," Murphy said.

The best defense against the coronavirus is to practice safe respiratory hygiene and take steps to prevent the spread of germs including washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when sick.

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