‘We must be prepared’: Parts of New Jersey set to hit peak number of coronavirus cases

New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli says as New York reaches its peak number of cases in the next two to three weeks, so will parts of northern New Jersey, especially some of the state’s hardest-hit counties.

News 12 Staff

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Mar 26, 2020, 9:33 AM

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Updated 1,485 days ago

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New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli says as New York reaches its peak number of cases in the next two to three weeks, so will parts of northern New Jersey, especially some of the state’s hardest-hit counties.

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The warning comes as state leaders work to get field hospitals online and get doctors, nurses and first responders the personal protective equipment they need.

Roughly one in five coronavirus cases in the state are in Bergen County, which has 819 in all, followed by Essex County with 381 and Hudson with 260.

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According to Persichilli, in the next few weeks, those numbers will likely be much higher, but with that said, she says things such as social distancing and business closures could help.

"We expect that all of our mitigation strategies will reduce the impact on our state,” says Persichilli. “But as the governor has shared, we must be prepared."

The CEO of Holy Name Medical Center in hard-hit Teaneck, Mike Maron, says the hospital is in desperate need of more personal protective equipment such as masks, gowns and goggles.

Maron says one of the hospital's most beloved employees died a few days ago because of the virus.

Maron was also infected himself – and his wife and son have it too. They're at home and said to be doing well.

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