The coronavirus second wave rolls on in New Jersey with more than 4,300 new confirmed cases, hospitalizations up to 3,287 with 599 patients in the ICU and an additional 56 virus deaths announced Wednesday.

Schools, however, appear to be doing better that the state overall.

Since September, there have been 70 outbreaks and 285 coronavirus cases across the entire state. In the past week, schools reported four more outbreaks with 16 new cases.

Currently 89 school districts are fully open for in-person instruction, while 438 districts are offering a hybrid mix of in-person and remote learning, and 246 districts have gone all-remote.

Gov. Phil Murphy said schools have been successful at stopping the virus from spreading and the numbers have been far lower than anticipated because everyone is carefully adhering to safety procedures and guidelines including mask wearing, distancing in buildings, temperature checks, plexiglass dividers in classrooms, sanitized doors and staggered lunch periods.

Murphy said he’s toured a handful of schools and from what he’s seen first-hand everyone is doing an excellent job of safeguarding students and staff.

“A huge shout-out to educators,” he said. “This is incredibly stressful to moms and dads, to administrators, kids, just incredibly impressive.”

The governor noted it’s possible some students carrying the virus are in school and asymptomatic but he pointed out they are masked and social distancing and “it’s working.”

He added the paramount concern has been to identify COVID cases quickly “and that the avenues for in-school spread are closed."

Reported COVID-19 cases in schools this year:

  • 1 OUTBREAK IN ATLANTIC COUNTY (2 CASES)
  • 9 OUTBREAKS IN BERGEN COUNTY (24 CASES)
  • 4 OUTBREAKS IN BURLINGTON COUNTY (10 CASES)
  • 10 OUTBREAKS IN CAMDEN COUNTY (57 CASES)
  • 7 OUTBREAKS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY (19 CASES)
  • 2 OUTBREAKS IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY (5 CASES)
  • 0 OUTBREAKS IN ESSEX COUNTY (0 CASES)
  • 4 OUTBREAKS IN GLOUCESTER COUNTY (18 CASES)
  • 2 OUTBREAK IN HUDSON COUNTY (10 CASES)
  • 1 OUTBREAK IN HUNTERDON COUNTY (3 CASES)
  • 2 OUTBREAKS IN MERCER COUNTY (6 CASES)
  • 4 OUTBREAKS IN MONMOUTH COUNTY (12 CASES)
  • 0 OUTBREAKS IN MORRIS COUNTY (0 CASES)
  • 1 OUTBREAK IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY (3 CASES)
  • 5 OUTBREAKS IN OCEAN COUNTY (27 CASES)
  • 2 OUTBREAK IN PASSAIC COUNTY (19 CASES)
  • 5 OUTBREAKS IN SALEM COUNTY (22 CASES)
  • 3 OUTBREAKS IN SOMERSET COUNTY (9 CASES)
  • 3 OUTBREAKS IN SUSSEX COUNTY (7 CASES)
  • 1 OUTBREAKS IN UNION COUNTY (23 CASES)
  • 4 OUTBREAKS IN WARREN COUNTY (9 CASES)

You can contact reporter David Matthau at David.Matthau@townsquaremedia.com

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