March 17 Daily

Hello everyone! I’m your host, Connor McDermid, and welcome to today’s Coronavirus Report!

The virus isn’t getting any better, so let’s see just how bad it is.

————————INFECTION REPORTS NJ———————————————-
AS OF 2:30 PM on March 17, (20200317T1430, 1584469851 epoch), there are:

178 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey
3 deaths as a result of COVID-19
0 serious cases
0 recoveries

MORRIS COUNTY:
6 cases¹

————————INFECTION REPORTS US———————————————-
AS OF 2:30 PM on March 17, (20200317T1430, 1584469851 epoch), there are:

5,124 confirmed cases
96 deaths as a result of COVID-19
60 serious cases
8 recoveries

————————GLOBAL INFECTION REPORTS——————————————
AS OF 2:30 PM on March 17, (20200317T1430, 1584469851 epoch), there are:

195,066 confirmed cases
7,882 deaths
6,854 serious cases
81,146 recoveries

————————SCHOOL CLOSURES—————————————————

All New Jersey schools have been closed by state mandate until reopened when the State administration and health officials deem it safe.

————————GOVERNMENT ACTIONS————————————————

Since yesterday, several new government actions have been taken in an attempt to combat the spread of the virus. These are detailed in Governor Murphy’s Executive Order #104:

• All gatherings of persons in the State of New Jersey shall be limited to 50 persons or fewer, with limited exceptions;

• All public, private, and parocial preschool programs, and elementary and secondary schools, including charter and renaissance schools, will be closed beginning on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, and remain closed as long as the Order remains in effect;

• Institutions of higher education will cease all in-person isntruction beginning on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 and shall cease such in-person instruction as long as the Order remains in effect;

• The Commissioner of Education shall continue working with each public, private, and parochial school to ensure students are able to continue their education through appropriate home instruction;

• The Secretary of Agriculture and the Commissioner of Education shall take all necessary actions to ensure all students eligible for free or reduced meals will continue to recieve the services necessary to meet nutritional needs during closures;

• All casinos, concert venues, nightclubs, racetracks, gyms, fitness centers, and classes, movie theatres, and performing arts centers will be closed to the public beginning on Monday, March 16, 2020 at 8:00 PM and remain closed as long as this Order remains in effect;

• All other non-essential retail, recreational, and entertainment businesses must cease daily operations from 8:00 PM until 5:00 AM; and

• All restaurant establishments, with or without a liquor or limited brewery license, are limited to offering delivery and/or takeout services only.

Governor Murphy has mobilised the New Jersey National Guard to enforce this order and “to assist in ur efforts in any way necesasry.”²