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NJ Could Open Sooner If More People Get Tested For Coronavirus, Murphy Says

The sooner New Jerseyans get tested for coronavirus, the stronger the possibility is of reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Gov. Phil Murphy (scroll down for complete list of testing sites in NJ).

Coronavirus test

Coronavirus test

Photo Credit: Pixabay

"The more people who do get tested, the stronger our data becomes," Murphy said Wednesday.

** UPDATE: NJ Sees Spike In COVID-19 Hospitalizations: Here's What It Means For Residents **

"The stronger our data becomes, the stronger our confidence will become that we can take the next steps in responsibly restarting our economy and getting our recovery underway."

Building out testing capacity has been a key priority in New Jersey amid the coronavirus crisis. As of Wednesday, there were 164 testing sites -- public and private -- across the state. 

And that number is expected to grow, said the governor, noting both he and his wife got tested for the virus this week.

"We need to get more data," Murphy said. "More data means we get a better sense of where #COVID19 still exists. That data must come from a rigorous testing program."

Among the 30,000 tests recorded on May 23, only 7 percent showed a positive result. The trend in new hospitalizations, cases, deaths and patients on ventilators continue to trend downward across the state, Murphy said.

There were 970 new cases reported overnight Tuesday, including 148 new deaths.

Click here for a complete list of COVID-19 testing sites in New Jersey.

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