6 counties in New Jersey added to national virus ‘hot spot’ list

As the number of positive cases of COVID-19 rises in New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has added four New Jersey counties to its list of COVID-19 across the country, according to an ABC News report.

The "daily hot spot triage" iadded a total of 21 new areas to the list including Atlantic, Burlington, Camden and Mercer counties, according to ABC News, which said Gloucester and Ocean counties were already on the list.

The DHS on Friday morning did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for the report.

Gov. Phil Murphy at his daily briefing on Wednesday said that 2,000 new positive cases has set the state back in its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Murphy has blamed indoor parties attended by teens and young adults for some of the increase.

"We are now back plus or minus to where we were a month ago in the daily number of new cases. We can’t go backwards. We can’t afford to go backwards. So let’s get back to using the common sense. Let’s get back to remembering the need for personal responsibility. Let’s get back to working as one New Jersey family to defeat COVID-19 together," Murphy said.

The Sussex County Department of Health confirmed a New Jersey Herald report that six young people who had attended a graduation party — three 18-year-old women, a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl — tested positive for COVID-19. Another 24 who were at the party are under investigation.

The department would not identify the town where the party took place.

"Sussex County has a small population, and has very few COVID cases in comparison to the rest of the State of New Jersey. Releasing the date or municipality of the party may lead to the identification of the residents involved. It is of the upmost importance to protect the identity of all residents that have tested positive for COVID," Health Administrator Carol A. Novrit told New Jersey 101.5.

The rise in positive cases will not mean a 14-day quarantine for visitors from New Jersey to New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a briefing with reporters on Thursday, according to NBC New York.

"I don't know how you could quarantine New Jersey," Cuomo said. "We're not blockading roads. They don't use airports to get to New York,” Cuomo said.

Murphy has not had an issue placing neighboring Delaware on the quarantine list and said during Wednesday's coronavirus briefing that Gov. John Carney is not happy about it.

"It’s a moneyball decision. So this is not a subjective decision. This is a decision that New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut take together based on a formula," Murphy said.

Delaware has been taken off the latest list.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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