Newark Police: False Alarms On Coronavirus Will Be Prosecuted

NEWARK, NJ — “Any false reporting of the coronavirus in our city will result in criminal prosecution.” This was the stern reminder from Newark’s top police official on Tuesday evening, as concerns surrounding the new virus dubbed COVID-19 continue to spread in New Jersey.

“We are putting forth every investigative effort to identify anyone making false allegations on social media to ensure that any posted misinformation is immediately addressed,” Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

The panic caused by misleading social media posts can have real world consequences, Ambrose warned.

“The State of New Jersey has laws regarding causing a false public alarm and we will enforce those laws,” Ambrose said. “Individuals who make any false or baseless reports about the coronavirus in Newark can set off a domino effect that can result in injury to residents and visitors and affect schools, houses of worship, businesses and entire neighborhoods.”

• See related article: Coronavirus? Nope, Allergies Diverted Newark-Bound Flight, Reports Say
• See related article: America's Coronavirus Virus: Psychology Of Panic And Stockpiling

The first death in New Jersey related to COVID-19 was reported Tuesday. There have been more than 1,000 confirmed U.S. cases of the new coronavirus as of Wednesday morning according to Johns Hopkins University, which said the disease also has killed 29 people nationwide.

State health officials have maintained that most New Jersey residents are at "very low risk" of contracting COVID-19.

• See related article: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
• See related article: Feel Sick? Don't Come To NJ Devils Games For Now, Team Says

WHAT IS COVID-19?

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.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the State of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Newark Facebook page. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.