Hoboken NJ Reports Second And Third Coronavirus Cases

HOBOKEN, NJ — A day after imposing a curfew in Hoboken, NJ and restricting restaurants to allowing only pickup and delivery, the mayor of the mile-square city, Ravi Bhalla, said that two more residents have tested positive for coronavirus, a man in his 30s and another in his 40s.

Hoboken is a city of 53,000 people across the river from Manhattan.

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Bhalla wrote in an alert on Sunday morning, "I was informed by the Hoboken Health Department that there are now two additional positive cases of COVID-19 in Hoboken, identified as one male in his 30s and another male in his 40s. Both individuals currently are in self-isolation at home. Our Hoboken Health Department officers have been in contact with them, and both are expected to recover."

The city reported its first case on Friday, also a man in his 40s. The mayor has stressed social isolation. Schools are closed for at least two weeks, and day cares, gyms, and the movie theater are also closed.

Bhalla wrote, "As will be the case with every positive result, the Hoboken Health Department has proactively reached out to anyone who was in contact with both individuals, and are being recommended for self-quarantine with continued monitoring. Due to strict confidentiality laws, we cannot disclose more detailed information about the two individuals with positive cases, but please know that our health office is doing everything possible to develop a timeline of events and notify anyone who may have been affected.

"Unfortunately, this type of announcement may become the new normal as we expect substantial increase of cases both locally and across the country. Doing everything now, proactively to address this national crisis can literally save lives in Hoboken, especially our large senior population. Please keep them in mind during these difficult times.

"Please also remember that if you believe you are sick, be sure to call your primary care physician first instead of going to the emergency room. We anticipate a likely surge of cases impacting the capacity of Hoboken University Medical Center in the coming weeks, and the emergency room must be available for those needing critical care.

"The best thing residents can continue to do is to practice social distancing, washing your hands, working from home, and most importantly, staying home if you are sick."

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

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