The average number of people who become infected with coronavirus from another infected person has fallen below one in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy and health officials said this week.
The data, called the rate of reproduction, indicates how many people one infected person goes on to infect, the Democratic governor said. Before Murphy’s stay-home order went into effect in March, the rate was above five, he said.
The governor and the head of the state’s communicable disease service, Dr. Edward Lifshitz, credited public adherence to social distancing guidelines with having brought down the number.
Murphy also reported that about 700 more people tested positive overnight, increasing the total to 161,000. There were 51 deaths reported overnight, raising the death toll to 11,770.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are at higher risk of more severe illness or death.
- The Associated Press