Police Break Up 2 Lakewood Weddings For Exceeding 50-Person Limit

LAKEWOOD, NJ — Lakewood police broke up two weddings on Tuesday night that had more than 50 people in attendance at each one, the police department said Wednesday morning.

Police were called to Vassar Avenue just before 8 p.m. for one, and Oak Street just after 8 p.m. for the other one. Officers told the staff at the sites that they could not host gatherings of more than 50 people and both weddings dispersed without incident, police said.

On Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy issued restrictions barring gatherings of more than 50 people as part of efforts to slow the spread of the new coronavirus across New Jersey. All schools, public and private, were ordered closed as of Wednesday, and restaurants and bars are permitted only to offer delivery or takeout.

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As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 267 positive tests for COVID-19 in New Jersey, and three people have died from it, according to the state health department. There have been six positive tests in Ocean County so far.

"The Lakewood Police Department takes the precautions set by Governor Murphy very seriously and will certainly do our part to protect those we serve by strictly enforcing his mitigation strategies over the next few weeks," Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith said.

"We stress that the public do their part in reducing the spread of Covid-19 by obeying the guidelines set forth by the State of New Jersey," he said, including washing hands often, staying home if you're sick, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and practicing social distancing.

COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

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