Gov. Murphy: NJ 'On Track' To Contain Coronavirus; Here's Why

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy pointed to a research team's findings to salute something that's rarely determined in the United States: New Jersey is reportedly one of only three states on track to contain the coronavirus.

Murphy, during his Monday news conference, pointed to the findings of researchers and epidemiologists from the group "Covid Act Now" that has determined three states – New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts – are the only ones on track to contain the coronavirus.

Michigan was listed on Monday as one of the states on Monday, but it was removed by Tuesday.

Murphy said New Jersey got there because of the social distancing measures that have been in place since March, and the self-discipline New Jerseyans have shown in adhering to those measures.

"Its a staggering amount of progress," Murphy said.

Indeed, New Jersey's daily number of cases have dropped dramatically since there were a surge in cases in March and April, and the Garden State still has the third highest number of total cases in the United States. The number of cases rose to 169,734 on Tuesday, and 12,949 people have died. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

But on Tuesday, 382 new cases were reported, a 91 percent drop from the highest daily number of 4,427 on April 23.

Deaths also have dropped dramatically: On Tuesday, there were 57 additional fatalities reported, an 88 percent drop from April 30, when there were 460 (see list of daily number of cases and fatalities going back to March below).

Here is the Monday map from Covid Act Now, a nonprofit consortium of health care and public policy leaders from across the nation, including researchers and epidemiologists from Georgetown University and Stanford University:

Here is why New Jersey is doing well, according to Covid Act Now:

• Contact tracing: New Jersey has around 2,500 contact tracers, and with an average of 318 new daily cases, Covid Act Now estimates New Jersey needs 1,590 contact tracing staff to trace all new cases in 48 hours. This means that New Jersey is likely able to trace 100 percent of new COVID infections in 48 hours, the group said. "When this level of tracing is coupled with widely available testing, COVID can be contained without resorting to lockdowns," the group said.
• Infection rate: On average, each person in New Jersey with COVID is infecting 0.82 other people, according to Covid Act Now. "Because each person is infecting less than one other person, the total number of current cases in New Jersey is shrinking," group said.
• ICU headroom used: New Jersey has about 1,086 ICU beds, and Covid Act Now estimates that 12 percent are currently occupied by non-coronavirus patients. "With 957 ICU beds remaining, we estimate 300 are needed by COVID cases, or 31 percent of available beds. This suggests there is likely enough capacity to absorb a wave of new COVID infections," the group said.
• Positive test rate: A low percentage (1.6 percent) of COVID tests were positive, "which suggests enough widespread, aggressive testing in New Jersey to detect most new cases," the group said. "Identifying and isolating new cases can help contain COVID without resorting to lockdowns."

Murphy said hospitalizations have declined by at least 85 percent and "the rate of spread has slowed and our hospitalizations have regained a tremondous amount of capacity and resiliency."

Murphy said the tough measures New Jersey has taken has allowed for a series of reopenings, some of which – such as pool reopenings and organized sports – took place on Monday, and a series of them – such as indoor dining – are planned for the near future. Read more: Gov. Murphy: 'Hard Dates' In NJ Coronavirus Reopening Blueprint

Murphy announced on Tuesday that playgrounds, water and amusement parks, as well as indoor recreation such as arcades, will soon reopen. Read more: Gov. Murphy: NJ Playgrounds, Water And Amusement Parks To Reopen

Murphy said he talked to Rutgers University Football Coach Greg Schiano, who said New Jersey has undergone "pain of discipline where the alternative is the pain of regret."

"This proves the measures we've put in place – again, the pain of discipline and not the pain of regret, folks –and the hard decisions we made were the right ones," Murphy said "We are ready to take our next steps."

Murphy also warned that New Jersey can't "let our hair down," noting that a number of people were not practicing social distancing over the weekend at Jersey Shore bars. Read more: Read more: Videos Show Lots Of Crowding At D’Jais In Belmar (UPDATED)

Here is a look at new coronavirus cases by day:

• June 23: 382
• June 22: 359
• June 21: 411
• June 20: 446
• June 19: 516
• June 18: 442
• June 17: 330
• June 16: 470
• June 15: 274
• June 14: 305
• June 13: 523
• June 12: 495
• June 11: 539
• June 10: 611
• June 9: 375
• June 8: 356
• June 7: 426
• June 6: 606
• June 5: 864
• June 4: 603
• June 3: 652
• June 2: 708
• June 1: 509
• May 31: 868
• May 30: 910
• May 29: 1,117
• May 28: 1,261
• May 27: 970
• May 26: 703
• May 25: 965
• May 24: 1,065
• May 23: 443
• May 22: 1,394
• May 21: 1,304
• May 20: 1,670
• May 19: 1,055
• May 18: 1,735
• May 17: 1,272
• May 16: 1,239
• May 15: 1,297
• May 14: 1,216
• May 13: 1,028
• May 12: 898
• May 11: 1,453
• May 10: 1,503
• May 9: 1,759
• May 8: 1,985
• May 7: 1,827
• May 6: 1,513
• May 5: 2,494
• May 4: 1,621
• May 3: 3,144
• May 2: 2,912
• May 1: 2,651
• April 30: 2,633
• April 29: 2,481
• April 28: 2,887
• April 27: 2,146
• April 26: 3,730
• April 25: 3,457
• April 24: 3,047
• April 23: 4,427
• April 22: 3,551
• April 21: 3,644
• April 20: 3,528
• April 19: 3,915
• April 18: 3,026
• April 17: 3,250
• April 16: 4,391
• April 15: 2,625
• April 14: 4,049
• April 13: 3,219
• April 12: 3,733
• April 11: 3,599
• April 10: 3,627
• April 9: 3,748
• April 8: 3,088
• April 7: 3,361
• April 6: 3,663
• April 5: 3,482
• April 4: 4,331
• April 3: 4,372
• April 2: 3,489
• April 1: 3,649
• March 31: 2,196
• March 30: 3,347
• March 29: 2,316
• March 28: 2,289
• March 27: 1,982
• March 26: 2,492
• March 25: 736
• March 24: 846
• March 23: 935
• March 22: 590
• March 21: 442
• March 20: 155
• March 19: 318
• March 18: 162
• March 17: 89
• March 16: 80
• March 15: 31
• March 14: 19
• March 13: 21
• March 12: 21
• March 11: 8
• March 10: 4
• March 9: 5
• March 8: 6
• March 7: 1
• March 6: 1
• March 5: 1
• March 4: 1

Here is a look at coronavirus deaths by day:

• June 23: 57
• June 22: 27
• June 21: 17
• June 20: 25
• June 19: 37
• June 18: 38
• June 17: 47
• June 16: 51
• June 15: 52
• June 14: 40
• June 13: 103
• June 12: 48
• June 11: 70
• June 10: 74
• June 9: 91
• June 8: 40
• June 7: 79
• June 6: 60
• June 5: 79
• June 4: 92
• June 3: 112
• June 2: 51
• June 1: 27
• May 31: 66
• May 30: 113
• May 29: 131
• May 28: 66
• May 27: 148
• May 26: 54
• May 25: 16
• May 24: 52
• May 23: 96
• May 22: 146
• May 21: 98
• May 20: 168
• May 19: 162
• May 18: 83
• May 17: 107
• May 16: 116
• May 15: 201
• May 14: 244
• May 13: 197
• May 12: 198
• May 11: 59
• May 10: 140
• May 9: 166
• May 8: 162
• May 7: 254
• May 6: 308
• May 5: 334
• May 4: 45
• May 3: 137
• May 2: 205
• May 1: 311
• April 30: 460
• April 29: 329
• April 28: 402
• April 27: 106
• April 26: 75
• April 25: 249
• April 24: 253
• April 23: 307
• April 22: 314
• April 21: 379
• April 20: 177
• April 19: 132
• April 18: 231
• April 17: 323
• April 16: 362
• April 15: 351
• April 14: 365
• April 13: 94
• April 12: 168
• April 11: 251
• April 10: 233
• April 9: 198
• April 8: 275
• April 7: 232
• April 6: 86
• April 5: 71
• April 4: 200
• April 3: 113
• April 2: 182
• April 1: 91
• March 31: 69
• March 30: 37
• March 29: 21
• March 28: 32
• March 27: 27
• March 26: 19
• March 25: 18
• March 24: 17
• March 23: 7
• March 22: 4
• March 21: 5
• March 20: 2
• March 19: 4
• March 18: 3
• March 17: 0
• March 16: 1
• March 15: 0
• March 14: 1
• March 13: 0
• March 12: 0
• March 11: 0
• March 10: 1