New Jersey Disaster Declaration Approved As Cases Soar Across State

Cleve Bryan reports.

SURE THAT EVERYONE STAYS SAFE.NATASHA BROWN FOR CBS-3"EYEWITNESS NEWS".IN NEW JERSEY, GOVERNORPHIL MURPHY SAYS THAT THESTATE IS AT WAR, WITH THEVIRUS AND HE SAYS, FAMILIESSHOULD NOT EXPECT STUDENTS TORETURN TO SCHOOL ANYTIME SOON."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERCLEVE BRYAN'S IN SOUTH JERSEYTONIGHT WITH MORE ON THEGROWING CONCERN AS CASESCONTINUE TO SORE, CLEVE.REPORTER: THAT IS RIGHT,UKEE CASES PILING UP IN NEWJERSEY ALMOST 2500 NEW CASESBUT GOVERNOR MURPHIES SAYS IFTHERE IS A SILVER LINING IT ISGETTING A BETTER SENSE OF THESPREAD OF THE VIRUS.WE HAVE TOLD YOU THESENUMBERS ARE GOING UP, SADLY,THE NUMBER OF THE LOST LIVESIS GOING UP.REPORTER: ADDRESSINGMEDIA'S DOES EVERY AFTERNOONNEW JERSEY GOVERNOR PHIL MOVIEA ANNOUNCED NEARLY 2500 NEWCASES OF COVID-19, BY FAR,LARGEST SINGLE DAY JUMP TOPDATE A LONG WITH THAT 19 MOREDEATHS.THAT BRINGS THE STATE TOTAL TO6,876 CASES, AND 81 DEATHS.I CANNOT SAY IN ANYSTRONGER POSSIBLE TERMS HOWIMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE PULLTHROUGH THIS, TOGETHER.REPORTER: NOW NEW JERSEY ISGET SOMETHING NEW HELP FROMTHE COVID-19 BATTLE, THURSDAYFEMA ANNOUNCED A MAJORDISASTER DECLARATION FOR NEWJERSEY AND RELEASINGADDITIONAL RESOURCES FORHEALTH CARE FACILITIES THATARE STRUGGLE UNTILING SOMEAREAS TO KEEP UP WITH THEGROWING NUMBER OF THE SEVERELYSICK PEOPLE.OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT THENEED FOR CRITICAL BEDS ISBEING FELT NOW AND PRIOR TOWHAT WE WOULD CALL THE ACTUALSURGE OF ALL CASES REQUIRINGHOSPITALIZATION.REPORTER: NEW JERSEY'STRYING TO REQUIRE MORECRITICAL CARE CAPACITY ANDVENTILATORS.COUPE ARE HEALTH HAS BEENASSIGNED TASK OF MONITORINGSURGE CAPACITY FOR ALLHOSPITALS IN SOUTH JERSEY.ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT A NEWSTATE MEASURE WILL DULL OUT 75MILLION-DOLLAR TO HELPSTRUGGLING BUSINESS WAS GRANTSAND LOW INTEREST LOANS AND ASFAR AS SCHOOLS, MURPHY WON'TEVEN CONSIDER REOPENING THEMUNTIL AFTER APRIL 17TH AS HEURGES EVERYONE TO CONTINUE ASELF ISOLATION AND SOCIALDISTANCING.THERE IS A REASON.IT IS A BIG REASON WE WANT TOBE ON THE BATTLE FIELD SAVINGEVERY SINGLE LIFE WE CAN.KEEPING NUMBER OF THE FOLKSILL TO A SMALLER NUMBER ASHUMANLY POSSIBLE.REPORTER: GOVERNOR MURPHY'SENCOURAGED BY HUNDREDS OF THEPEOPLE THAT HAVE DONATED TOSUPPLIES LIKE FACE MASKS TOFIRST RESPONDERS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS.