2 Infant COVID Deaths Reported This Past Week In NJ

NEW JERSEY — The state's COVID-19 death toll from the past week includes two infants, Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday. Fourteen children in the state, including 10 who were 4 years old or younger, have died from the virus during the pandemic, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.

"Thank God there have not been many of those deaths, but each and every one of them is a loss of a precious, precious young life," Murphy said at the state's weekly coronavirus news briefing.

One infant did not have any underlying conditions, and information regarding underlying conditions for the other is unknown, a state health department spokesperson told Patch. Both were under age 1 and from different counties in North Jersey.

"Due to privacy concerns, no other details are available," said Nancy Kearney, the state health department spokesperson.

The development came as Pfizer faces roadblocks on its COVID vaccines for children 6 months to 4 years old, which is set to become the nation's first COVID vaccine available for the age group. But Pfizer delayed its request for emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration on the vaccine until early April, wanting more data on the effectiveness of a third dose.

New Jersey has 475,000 children between 6 months and 4 years old, Persichilli says.

"The (state health) department continues to prepare for the rollout of that effort," Persichilli said. "Outreach efforts are ongoing to physicians and other partners to join that vaccination effort when it is available."

COVID-19 deaths remain rare for babies and children but remain a factor in the pandemic response. Nationwide, 307 kids 4 and younger and 663 children ages 5-18 have died from the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In New Jersey, 10 children four and younger and four kids ages 5-18 have died from COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic.

State officials confirmed 693 COVID-19 deaths from Feb. 8 through Wednesday. But New Jersey continues to progress in terms of key pandemic metrics, such as declines in overall cases and infections among students and school staff.

See the latest figures below from the Office of the Governor: