Hoboken sees highest 2-day COVID total since mid-May, mayor says

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla says 13 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two days - which is the highest two-day total since mid-May.

News 12 Staff

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Jul 4, 2020, 3:43 PM

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Updated 1,630 days ago

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla says 13 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two days - which is the highest two-day total since mid-May.

He says the people who tested positive have recently traveled, and that 12 out of 13 had traveled to states on New Jersey's quarantine list.

Bhalla says none of the cases are connected to any recent rallies. He also says anyone who has traveled recently must get tested five to seven days after returning to Hoboken.

New Jersey, New York and Connecticut officials recently announced that all individuals traveling from 16 states that have a large number of COVID-19 infections must quarantine for 14 days upon return.

Bhalla says everyone who tested positive is under the age of 45, with the majority being between 20 years old and 35 years old. He says they attended both indoor and outdoor gatherings with groups of people.

Bhalla says that some people who were tested did not have any symptoms of COVID-19. He also says there are no hospitalizations and deaths from the new cases.

The Hoboken Mayor's Office is urging everyone in the city to wear masks and quarantine if they recently traveled to one of the states on the quarantine list.

Bhalla also says resorting to stay at home orders or business closures is an option if numbers continue to rise.

There have been 611 cases and 29 deaths from COVID-19 in the state's fourth most densely populated city.

Other guidance officials gave out include:

Wear a face mask and always social distance at least six feet from others at all times. We keep saying this over and over, but health experts say that this is by far and away the best way to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Others wear face masks to protect you, and you should in turn wear one to protect others.
Avoid any type of gatherings. If you’re in a gathering in any situation, especially a hot spot state, you’re putting yourself at risk. Don’t place yourself in settings where social distancing is not possible.
If you are meeting friends and family, do so outdoors, and avoid any physical contact. We know that outdoors is much safer than indoor settings, and social distancing while not sharing any food or drinks is critical. Avoid any type of indoor gathering that isn’t with immediate members of your household
When you return to Hoboken, self-quarantine yourself and get tested for COVID-19 at least 5-7 days after returning. Residents should not get a test within the first 24 hours or less than 5 days after returning as getting a test too early could lead to a false negative. In Hoboken, we’re fortunate that we have a public testing site right here in our mile square, and receiving a test is easy – all you have to do is call 201-420-5621 on our City Hall hotline, and you’re eligible for a 15-minute rapid result test. And, if you don’t have insurance, the City will pay for the cost of your test. Already, 5,000 residents and business employees have gotten tested at this site.
Even after you get a test, and it’s negative, you still must quarantine for the remainder of the 14 days.