Hudson County’s Cases Of COVID Remain 'Very High:' See Updates

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — The coronavirus continues to take a grim toll on Hudson County, impacting local business and schools in the region, according to updated data.

The state Department of Health's most recent "COVID-19 Activity Level Report," which is issued weekly, says Hudson County is in the “red zone” for coronavirus cases.

Hudson County reported on Friday a total of 1,496 confirmed deaths and 39,076 positive test results since the beginning of the pandemic. That's an increase of 32 confirmed deaths and more than 3,000 new positive test results from last Friday.

Last week, the county reported 1,464 confirmed deaths and 36,348 cases in total.

Hudson County plans to open a vaccination center this coming week, with healthcare workers and funeral home workers to get the vaccines first.

Risk levels

The “red zone” means the daily new COVID-19 virus case rate, per 100,000 people, rose to "very high" in all 21 counties. That means they exceed 25 cases per 1,000 people.

The latest reports say the overall coronavirus activity level also rose from "moderate," or “yellow,” to "high," or “orange,” in recent weeks in all 21 New Jersey counties.

With the rise to a "high" level, state officials said, school districts in those counties may have to take more serious steps — such as quarantining or even shutting down schools — if a child shows the symptoms of COVID-19.

"When it is high risk, there are some recommendations that we make together with local school boards," said Edward Lifshitz, medical director for the state Department of Health.

Indeed, a number of school districts have shifted to remote instruction as the numbers have risen. And districts including Summit and Cranford will go remote at the beginning of January, after winter break.

The overall coronavirus risk rose to "high" in each of the counties because:

• The new daily case rate in each of the counties rose to 10 or more per 100,000 people.
• The percent of COVID-19-like illnesses rose above 5.52 in each of the counties.
• The percent of positive cases rose above 10.01.

State and national trends

At the height of the crisis in New Jersey, when testing and PPE were scarce, 460 people died from the virus in 24 hours on April 30.

The death rate had been plummeting over the summer. Back on Sept. 8, three months ago, the state announced two new deaths confirmed in 24 hours.

But deaths began rising again with gatherings, reopenings, and travel to states with higher transmission. This past Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said that the state of New Jersey had seen 92 new deaths from the virus since the day before.

Doctors have said that a number of factors are contributing to the fact that the daily death rate is still lower than spring, including people getting test results (and thus treatment) sooner, more protective equipment available in hospitals, and doctors becoming better able to treat the virus. However, the virus still can have long-term effects.

More than 300,000 Americans and 16,000 in New Jersey have now passed away from the virus.

Here are more 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

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