By JOHN T. WARD
Governor Phil Murphy’s administration reported 71 new deaths of New Jersey residents in the COVID-19 pandemic Sunday, a sharp drop from the 200 reported a day earlier.
The death toll also continued to ease in Monmouth County, the state reported.
The state’s death toll in the pandemic rose to 917. The administration offered no immediate commentary on the one-day drop in fatalities after days of sharp increases.
For the second Sunday in a row, Murphy took a previously announced break from his daily live briefing on the crisis. The latest data was posted on the state Health Department’s COVID-19 website.
Monmouth County accounted for four deaths, down from six a day earlier and 10 Thursday, bringing the county total to 58 since the crisis began a month ago, the state reported.
An additional 289 virus-positive test results put the county total at 2,354, according to the posting.
Another 3,381 state residents tested positive for the virus since Saturday, upping the total to 37,505, while the number testing negative despite apparent symptoms rose to 44,661, the state reported.
Further details, such as the age, gender and presence of underlying health conditions in those who died was not released. On Saturday, state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said only four victims did not have contributory conditions, and 78 percent of those who’ve died were 65 years old or older.
The administration has previously cautioned that the mortality figures do not necessarily reflect deaths within the preceding 24-hour period, and may include late reporting of earlier deaths. In addition, some 3,935 positives and 14 deaths are listed on the site as “pending further investigation.
Murphy said on Twitter that “after multiple conversations with the @WhiteHouse,” the state had secured an additional 500 ventilators, which he said is “the number-one need” on the frontlines of healthcare.
Separately, Monmouth County government reported that as of 10 a.m. Sunday, there were 2,351 COVID-19 positive cases in the county. They included 14 in Fair Haven, unchanged from Friday night; 19 in Little Silver, up two; and 42 in Red Bank, up eight.
Here’s the by-town breakdown:
- Aberdeen: 65
- Allenhurst: 1
- Allentown: 1
- Asbury Park: 41
- Atlantic Highlands: 10
- Avon-by-the-Sea: 5
- Belmar: 5
- Bradley Beach: 10
- Brielle: 12
- Colts Neck: 31
- Deal: 19
- Eatontown: 67
- Englishtown: 9
- Fair Haven: 14
- Farmingdale: 7
- Freehold Borough: 50
- Freehold Township: 166
- Hazlet: 91
- Highlands: 8
- Holmdel: 78
- Howell: 205
- Keansburg: 35
- Keyport: 21
- Lake Como: 4
- Little Silver: 19
- Loch Arbour: 1
- Long Branch: 104
- Manalapan: 210
- Manasquan: 18
- Marlboro: 193
- Matawan: 47
- Middletown: 217
- Millstone: 28
- Monmouth Beach: 10
- Neptune City: 11
- Neptune Township: 116
- Ocean: 98
- Oceanport: 26
- Red Bank: 42
- Roosevelt: 2
- Rumson: 21
- Sea Bright: 5
- Sea Girt: 8
- Shrewsbury Borough: 19
- Shrewsbury Township: 3
- Spring Lake: 6
- Spring Lake Heights: 9
- Tinton Falls: 39
- Union Beach: 14
- Upper Freehold: 20
- Wall: 84
- West Long Branch: 24
- Unknown: 2
