New Jersey Seeing Positive Trend In Coronavirus Cases As Gov. Murphy Extends School Closures

Cleve Bryan reports.

HELPING PEOPLE NEED HELP.REPORTER: HOWARD MONROE FORCBS-3 "EYEWITNESS NEWS".NEW JERSEY IS SEEINGPOSITIVE TRENDS IN THE BATALLERGENS THE VIRUS BUTGOVERNOR MURPHY SAYS HE IS NOTRED TOY REOPEN SCHOOLS."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERCLEVE BRYAN HAS VERY LATEST ONWHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THEDEADLIEST DAY OF THE PANDEMICIN THE GARDEN STATE.REPORTER: WITH 362 NEWDEATHS THE COVID-19 DEATH TOLLNOW STAND AT 3,518, AND THATIS MORE THAN THE NUMBER OF THENEW JERSIANS KILLED DURINGWORLD WAR ONE.ALL OF A SUDDEN SOCIALDISTANCING DOESN'T SEEM SOMUCH OF AN INCONVENIENCE IF ITMEANS THAT WE DON'T TO HAVEKEEP MOURNING SO MANY BLESSEDSOULS.REPORTER: PERHAPS BESTCONSTELLATION IS THE RATE OFTHE SERIOUS INFECTIONSCONTINUES TO SLOW.NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS REMAINFLAT, NUMBER OF THE COVID-19PATIENTS DISCHARGE IS UP MORETHAN 10 PERCENT DAY TO I DAY.OUR EFFORTS, FOLKS ARE,WOULDING.WE ARE NOT HOME YET BY ANYMEANS WITH YOU OUR EFFORTS OURWORKING.REPORTER: EFFORTS OFRETURNING TO NORMAL MAY HAVEBEEN DASHED ON THURSDAY ASGOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY ANNOUNCEDSCHOOLS WILL LEAST MAIN CLOSEDTHROUGH FRIDAY MAY 15TH,ANOTHER FOUR WEEKS.WE CANNOT BE GUIDED BYEMOTION.WE NEED TO BE GUIDED BY WHEREFACTS ON THE GROUND, SCIENCE,PUBLIC HEALTH, TAKE US.AND THAT MEANS THAT IT WILLNOT BE SAFE TO REOPEN OURSCHOOLS OR START SPORTSBACKUP, FOR AT LEAST ANOTHERFOUR WEEKS.REPORTER: EXTENDED STAY ATHOME HAS ON LINE GAMBLINGNUMBERS UP MORE THAN65 PERCENT IN NEW JERSEY, ANDTHAT DOES LIT TOLL OFF SETCLOSURE OF THE GARDEN STATEGAMBLING HALLS, EXACTLY ONEMONTH AGO.OVERALL CASINO REVENUE DOWN130 MILLION-DOLLAR, AND THATIS 44 PERCENT, AROUND 9,000CASINO WORKERS UNITE HERELOCAL 54 ARE UNEMPLOYMENTPLOYED AFTER TROPICANA ENDEDTHEIR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ANDANNOUNCED LAYOFFS.SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTSAND OVERALL WEAK ECONOMY WILLHAVE A LINGERING IMPACT TOCASINO WORKERS AFTERBUSINESSES ARE ALLOWED TOREOPEN.THAT 6-FOOT SOCIALDISTANCING REQUIREMENT BUT YOUKNOW, FOR SURE, IT IS NOTINGTO GO GO FROM ZERO TO 100OVERNIGHT.IT WILL TAKE A WHILE FOR THEMTO BUILD A BUSINESS BACKUP.IT WILL BE A SLOW REBUILD WEEXPECT.REPORTER: END WITH APOSITIVE NEW JERSEY HAS BEENASKING FOR VOLUNTEER HEALTHCARE WORKERS FOR LAST MONTHAND TODAY GOVERNOR SAYS THEYHAVE HAD ENOUGH TO FILL THEIRNEEDS FOR THE TIME BEING.