Gov. Phil Murphy has signed an executive order to extend the public health emergency as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the Garden State continue to rise dramatically.

"Today's new COVID-19 case count marks our highest daily figure since May," Murphy says. "As we face a steep increase in cases, it could not be more important to ensure we have access to all available resources. Keeping New Jerseyans safe is our highest priority, today and every day. We are again extending the public health emergency in order to do exactly that."

On Friday alone, the governor's office reported 1,994 new positive coronavirus cases. It also marked the seventh straight day of more than 1,000 new infections reported.

Hospitalizations have also increased dramatically. There are 870 people in New Jersey hospitals, with 212 in intensive care units and 73 on ventilators. The numbers haven't been that high since July.

Just a month ago, there were only 459 people hospitalized, 90 in the ICU and 31 on ventilators.

New Jersey is far from alone in this trend. The United States just reported 85,000 new coronavirus cases on Friday, the highest number of cases reported in the country since the pandemic began.

New cases are rising in more than 30 states, especially in the Midwest and the Sun Belt.