New Jersey Disaster Declaration Approved As Coronavirus Cases Soar Above 6,800

Cleve Bryan reports.

THERE HAD TODAY.SIXTY-SIX YEAR-OLD MAN DIEDWHILE AT A HOSPITAL OUT OFSTATE.NEW JERSEY'S DEATH TOLLFROM THE VIRUS HAS NEARLYDOUBLE IN THE LAST TWO DAYS.AS WE MENTIONED A DISASTERDECLARATION HAS BEEN DECLAREDFOR THE GARDEN STATE."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERCLEVE BRYAN'S IN SOUTH JERSEYRIGHT NOW WITH MORE FROM THEGOVERNOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE,CLEVE.REPORTER: UKEE, WHILE NEWJERSEY SECOND ONLY TO NEWYORK, IN CASES OF COVID-19,AND TODAY WE SAW A HUGE JUMPNEARLY 2500 MORE CASESANNOUNCED IN THE GARDEN STATE.AS YOU MENTIONED THE DEATHTOLL IS CLIMBING.I CANNOT SAY IN ANYSTRONGER POSSIBLE TERMS HOWIMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE PULLTHROUGH THIS TOGETHER.REPORTER: OFFERING NEWJERSIANS ENCOURAGEMENT TO KEEPENDURING CAT ROANE A VIRUSPANDEMIC, GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHYANNOUNCED THE LARGEST SINGLEDAY JUMP IN CASES OF COVID-192,492 NEW POSITIVE TESTRESULTS, AND SADLY, 19 MOREDEATHS.THAT BRINGS THE STATE TOTAL TO6,876 CASES AND 81 DEATHS.WE HAVE TOLD YOU THESENUMBERS ARE GOING UP.SATELLITE, THE NUMBER IS GOINGUP.OUR JOB IS TO FIGHT FEARSLYWITH UNLIMITED RESOURCE TOSSSAVE AS MANY LIVES ASPOSSIBLE.REPORTER: AMONG NEWRESOURCE TOSS FIGHT THE VIRUSNEW JERSEY RECEIVED A FEMAMAJOR DISASTER DECLARATIONWHICH WILL INCREASE STATE AID,IN PARTICULAR, NEW JERSEY ISTRYING TO ACQUIRE MORECRITICAL CARE CAPACITY ANDVICE-PRESIDENT RATERS FORSEVERELY SICK PEOPLE.STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONERJIDITH SAYS THE WORSE STILLYET TO COME.OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT THENEED FOR CRITICAL BEDS ISBEING FELT NOW, AND PRIOR TOWHAT WE WOULD CALL THE ACTUALSURGE OF ALL CASES, REQUIRINGHOSPITALIZATIONS.REPORTER: COUPE ARE HEALTHHAS BEEN ASSIGNED A TASK OFMONITORING SURGE CAPACITY ANDHELPING COORDINATE STATERESPONSE FOR ALL HOSPITALS INSOUTH JERSEY.ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT NEWJERSEY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTAUTHORITY PASSED A 75MILLION-DOLLAR MEASURE TOBRING GRANTS AND LOW INTERESTLOANS TO STRUGGLINGBUSINESSES.MURPHY SAYS THE AMID MOUNTINGCHALLENGES NEW JERSIANS NEEDTO CONTINUE WITH SELFISOLATION AND SOCIALDISTANCING.THERE IS A REASON, IT IS ABIG REASON.WE WANT TO BE ON THE BATTLEFIELD SAVING EVERY SINGLE LIFEWE CAN KEEPING THE NUMBER OFFOLKS WHO ARE ILL TO A SMALLERNUMBER, AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.REPORTER: GOVERNOR MURPHYSPEAKING FOR MORE THAN AN HOURTOUCHING ON MANY SUBJECTSINCLUDING SCHOOLS WHICH HESAYS HE WON'T EVEN CONSIDERREOPENING SCHOOLS IN NEWJERSEY FOR AT LEAST THREE MORE