Gov. Murphy: NJ COVID Numbers Going 'In Wrong Direction' (UPDATE)

TRENTON, NJ — Gov. Phil Murphy said this week that New Jersey COVID-19 numbers are "going in the wrong direction" as he announced new restrictions on bars and restaurants along with limits on indoor youth sports. He said he doesn't plan to take similar actions with schools.

On Saturday, New Jersey had its highest daily case total since the pandemic began: 4,395. On Friday and Saturday, New Jersey also reported 28 and 26 more deaths, the largest totals since mid-July.

The numbers first climbed sharply on Tuesday, when New Jersey announced its highest daily case total since April – 3,877 – and the state's highest death toll since July: 21.

Murphy said hospitalizations from COVID-19 have risen above 1,500 for the first time since June. Some of this is now attributable to indoor dining, he says, saying people have gotten "sloppy" with managing the coronavirus at these establishments.

A number of bartenders have been infected with the virus, he said.

"New Jersey is back at levels we thought we left behind months ago," Murphy said. "The numbers are going up and in the wrong direction."

The positivity rate is 7.54 percent, Murphy said, among the state's highest numbers in months.

Murphy said New Jersey also has more than 1,500 patients hospitalized due to the coronavirus, with 1,313 known positives and 224 awaiting confirmation, Murphy said. There are more than 300 people in intensive care, and of those, nearly 100 are on ventilators, Murphy said. The number of ICU patients was the highest since June 17.

"The good news is we're more prepared, we know a lot more," Murphy said.

Murphy said the details on the restrictions for bars and restaurants include no more service while sitting at the bar, because state officials have seen an increased issue of outbreaks associated with bartenders.

Food and alcohol will not be permitted to be served inside establishments after 10 p.m., but restaurants can continue outdoor service past 10 p.m., Murphy said. Read more: Gov. Murphy To Impose New NJ Restrictions As COVID-19 Cases Spike

The ban on food and drink service after 10 p.m. applies to casinos as well. They will be permitted to keep gaming open all hours, but no food or drink can be served after 10 p.m., he said.

"People started to let their hair down at clubs, lounges and restaurants, particularly restaurants with bars," Murphy said. "People are getting sloppy in and around bars as the night wears on."

"We're not sure why bartenders are at more risk," said Judith Persichilli, the state health commissioner, but she said there have been a lot of outbreaks specifically traced to bartenders.

With the ban on bar seating, restaurants will be permitted to move tables closer than 6 feet as long as they install barriers between them, Murphy said. Outdoors, restaurants will be allowed to create fully enclosed dining bubbles, limited to one group of diners each, because of the coming cold weather.

Interstate indoor youth sports events, up to and including high school age athletes, are banned because of an increase in transmission seen among youth sports; Murphy said the increase has been notable in indoor hockey, and that state health officials have specifically traced outbreaks to interstate competitions and tournaments.

"There are transmissions happening in a number of different arenas," Murphy said. "We knew opening indoor activities we were taking on some amount of risk."

Murphy called the restrictions "surgical steps."

"No one up here wants to take the kinds of broad actions we did in March," Murphy said. "We have to change our mindsets" and shake off the pandemic fatigue.

"We have a six-month window to beat the fatigue back," Murphy said, "so we can ultimately defeat it for good in the spring."

Murphy on Friday had announced New Jersey would take "broader actions" to quell the recent sharp rise in coronavirus cases in the Garden State.

Click here to get Patch email notifications, or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com