Prognosis
N.J. Virus Transmission Rate Rises to Highest Level in Weeks
- Increase shows that Covid-19 is spreading again in the state
- ‘I don’t want to go back to hell,’ Governor Murphy says
People walk on the boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey on July 9.
Photographer: Gabby Jones/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said the state’s virus transmission rate had risen to the highest level in weeks, suggesting the struggle to reopen while containing Covid-19 isn’t over.
The rate is now at 1.11, the governor said at a news briefing. Any number above 1 suggests the virus is spreading. The rate has been unstable since the state began reviving its economy in May, and Murphy has put any further reopenings, including indoor dining, on pause until it is controlled.