Mayor: Fort Lee coronavirus patient is a health care worker in New York

One of the people diagnosed with a “presumptive positive” case of coronavirus COVID-19 in New Jersey is a 32-year-old health care worker.

News 12 Staff

Mar 5, 2020, 3:33 PM

Updated 1,682 days ago

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One of the people diagnosed with a “presumptive positive” case of coronavirus COVID-19 in New Jersey is a 32-year-old health care worker.
Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich said at a news conference Thursday afternoon that the man and his family live in New York, but that he maintains a residence in Fort Lee.
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The man is currently hospitalized at Hackensack University Medical Center in stable condition. Officials say that he is in isolation. The man first started to feel sick on Sunday, according to the mayor.
“While in Fort Lee, this individual had no known contact with any other individuals,” Sokolich said. “We’ve confirmed that he did not travel to a level-three country. That would include China, Iran, South Korea and Italy.”
State and county officials say that they are now trying to determine how the man contracted COVID-19. Officials say that he is a health care worker, but did not disclose his employer.
State health officials announced a second person with a “presumptive positive” case of COVID-19. Details about that person were not readily available. But it is believed that the person was at a hospital in Englewood.
Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco says that there are cases of people who have self-quarantined as a precaution. Tedesco says that the county is ready in the event of more cases of coronavirus.
“I anticipate with a county of a million people…I anticipate to have more positive identifications for this virus,” he said.
Sokolich says that Fort Lee is “open for business” and that all school activities will go on as scheduled and no stores will be closed.
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COVID-19 is a respiratory illness with symptoms similar to the common cold. It can be deadly - mostly to people who are elderly or in poor health.
New Jersey has set up a coronavirus hotline for concerned residents. The number for that hotline is 1-800-222-1222.