Hoboken Has 76 New Coronavirus Cases In One Week

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla wrote in an update to Hoboken residents on Friday that the Hoboken Health Department reported 76 new coronavirus cases among residents in the past week, including 21 who tested positive on Halloween, the most in one day since in April.

The mayor said Friday that people should respond when the city's contract tracers call to find out how the virus may spread. "We unfortunately have had several residents who have not been answering the phone during contact tracing or have not provided contacts to our health department," he said. "Please know that all information is kept confidential and we ask everyone to do everything possible to cooperate with our health officers, who are going above and beyond to help prevent further infections."

Hoboken University Medical Center is currently treating 11 patients, the city said, one of those from Hoboken. Last week, two were from Hoboken.

A total of 31 Hoboken residents have passed away from coronavirus, but there have been no new resident deaths in the mile-square city since May.

The city has had 1,067 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. They said 1,001 have recovered, but do not have statistics on long-term damage.

In June, after months of closures and isolation, the city went a week with only one new case, and in August, there were only six cases in one week. Cases began rising with more indoor gatherings.

The last week's case confirmations were:

Oct. 30: 6

Oct. 31: 21

Nov. 1: 8

Nov. 2: 11

Nov. 3: 7

Nov. 4: 20

Nov. 5: 3

Hoboken, a mile-square city of 53,000 people across the river from Manhattan, was one of the first cities in the region to begin closing facilities when the virus began spreading in the U.S.

"Yesterday, the state of New Jersey reported another 2,104 cases, the first time there were two consecutive days over 2,000 cases since the beginning of May," wrote Mayor Ravi Bhalla on Friday. "The positivity rate of tests conducted this past Saturday across the State was 8.22 percent, the highest positivity rate since May 19. The top age groups of new COVID-19 cases in Hudson County include 18-29 (25 percent), and 30-49 (37 percent)."

He said, "I am urging all residents to continue to take the virus seriously and re-double your efforts. Please take extra caution to avoid high-risk situations and especially indoor settings beyond household members."

More than 235,000 people had died of the virus in the United States as of Friday. One report said more than 900 health care workers have died of the virus nationally. Others are fighting dangerous misinformation as they fight the virus.

House parties

Want to be the first to get news alerts when there's breaking news in Hoboken, or to get a free local Hoboken newsletter each morning? Sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.

On Wednesday, the city passed a $1,000 fine for large indoor house parties.

Bhalla said last month that the house party fine would apply to "large, indoor gatherings above 25 people that are also violating other ordinances in the city including a disorderly house, noise, or disturbing the peace." He said it applies to "unruly house parties as it relates to COVID-19 spread, as opposed to peaceful get-togethers, although we strongly discourage gatherings of any type as well beyond household members."

The presidential election

In his message, Bhalla wrote, "I’d like to extend my thanks to the City Clerk’s office as well as the Hoboken residents who worked the polls on Tuesday. Many residents emailed my office offering to assist to help provide relief to seniors who traditionally work the polls, and I’m very grateful to everyone for ensuring a smooth voting experience for residents."

In the election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, voters waited breathlessly Friday as final votes were tallied in close races in Georgia and in Pennsylvania.

To see how your neighbors in Hudson County voted for school board, president, and marijuana legalization, click here.

Here is more information on Hoboken coronavirus testing, statistics, schools, and more:

CORONAVIRUS TESTING IN HOBOKEN

• Prompt MD has added additional testing. Proof of residency or employment at a Hoboken business is required at the time of testing. Results are anticipated within 24-48 hours of testing. http://www.hobokennj.gov/promptmd.
• Riverside Medical is also continuing testing for Hoboken residents at the pop-up site under the 14th Street Viaduct six days a week. Appointments can be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis by visiting http://www.hobokennj.gov/riverside. If a resident has signed up for a test with Riverside but can no longer make it, please call 201-863-3346 to cancel the appointment.
• A covid-19 test is recommended at least 5-7 days after a potential exposure, and that many who have contracted the virus do not have symptoms. Receiving a COVID-19 test prior to the 5-7 days after a potential exposure may yield inaccurate results.
• If returning from a state on New Jersey's quarantine list or have had a high-risk exposure, which includes contact of over 10 minutes to someone who has tested positive, living in the same household as someone with COVID-19 or attending a large indoor gathering without face masks, residents should self-quarantine for the full 14 days, even with a negative test result, the city says.
• If a resident or Hoboken business employee does not have insurance, the city will pay for the cost of a test through both testing sites.

LOCAL BUSINESS

• More than 50 of the city's restaurants opened the week of June 15 for outdoor dining. READ MORE.
• Some of those have added "streateries" for outdoor dining. READ MORE.
• Two of the city's weekly farmers' markets reopened in June. READ MORE.
• The city has been closing off certain blocks for businesses to expand and draw foot traffic. READ MORE.
• Restaurants in New Jersey can allow indoor dining at 25 percent capacity. Read about Hoboken indoor dining here.
• The city of Hoboken is making it easier for restaurants to continue to offer outdoor dining through the winter months.

HOBOKEN SCHOOLS

• Hoboken's Wallace Primary School recently closed temporarily after two student cases were confirmed.
• Mayor Bhalla wrote a week ago, "Our Health Department has confirmed that our schools are taking every possible safety measure to keep our children safe, and that there is little evidence that the schools themselves are the reason for covid-19 spread, as opposed to behavior outside the school."
• Recently, one of the city's charter schools, Elysian Charter, closed temporarily because a student tested positive for the virus.
• The Hoboken public schools reopened Monday, Sept. 14 remotely, and reopened on-site Sept. 21 for those who requested it.
• The district offered a reopening plan giving parents a choice of either full-time on-site learning (until 3 p.m.) or full-time distance learning. In the buildings, there are restrictions, such as kids wearing masks and maintaining a 6-foot distance.

HOBOKEN LIBRARY

• See story here.

HOW TO GET HELP WITH HEAT, RENT, AND MORE

• During the State of Emergency in New Jersey, no tenant is permitted to be evicted from their home or apartment for the inability to pay rent. Talk to your local mayor's office if you are experiencing difficulties.
• The CARES act has made money available to help with rent in each city. More information is here.
• New Jersey residents can get help with heating and energy bills. Information is here.
• Various other avenues of relief and benefits have also been made available, including family leave for 12 weeks if you can't work due to your child's school or camp being closed, and changes to unemployment rules to help those who were at a job for a short time, or freelancing.
• Programs are being added constantly, so don't think you can't get help. Reach out to your local mayor's office to find out what kind of funds may be available to help you get through this time.

LONG-TERM CARE

• Recently, there were 159 long term care facilities with active outbreaks, the state Department of Health said this month. The state also announced that deaths at the facilities had more than doubled since May 1. The state has stopped updating the numbers at facilities without current outbreaks.
• New Jersey residents were already alarmed at the high number of residents who have passed away in nursing homes, rehabs, and similar facilities. The state announced plans in May to increase testing at some long term care facilities and to bring in the National Guard temporarily to help make changes.
• The state released death toll statistics late in spring for long-term care facilities like rehabs and nursing homes. See the list here.
• You can report problems with long term care facilities here, or if you suspect coronavirus related misconduct, here.
• Some New Jersey long-term care facilities reopened for limited visits, with precautions, in July.

PAST HOBOKEN STATISTICS

• Bhalla had said last Tuesday, Oct. 20, that 22 Hoboken residents had been confirmed as testing positive for coronavirus in a four-day period from Friday to Monday inclusive, for a total of 890 cases in residents since the start of the pandemic. Bhalla said that cases are rising again partly due to indoor social gatherings.
• More than 225,000 Americans and 14,500 people in New Jersey have died from the virus.
At the height of the crisis in New Jersey on April 30, 460 people passed away in 24 hours.
• The mayor recent cautioned residents about indoor birthday parties and traveling to Ocean and Monmouth counties. Story here.
• For an earlier story about Hoboken coronavirus statistics and updates, click here.
• See earlier data here.
• Here are past statistics on Hoboken residents under 16 testing positive for the virus.

Here are statewide coronavirus resources:

• NJ COVID-19 Information Hub: https://covid19.nj.gov/
• General COVID-19 questions: 2-1-1
• NJ COVID-19 hotline: (800) 222-1222

Got news? Email Caren.Lissner@patch.com. Want to be the first to get news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning? Sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.