New Jersey’s COVID-19 transmission rate has edged higher for a ninth day in a row.
New Jersey health officials say that the rate of transmission now sits at 1.09. Any rate of transmission over 1 indicates that each new case of the virus is leading to at least one additional case.
Gov. Phil Murphy tweeted that the state reported 344 new positive cases of the virus on Monday, for a statewide total of 194,390 cases since March. The governor also confirmed two additional COVID-19-related deaths. The statewide death toll now stands at 14,208.
State health officials say that there are currently 389 people hospitalized because of the virus – 79 of which are in the intensive care unit. There are 29 COVID-19 patients on ventilators.
The governor and state health officials have continued to urge New Jersey residents to practice social distancing and use face coverings when out in public to slow the spread of the virus.