N.J. will get 70K masks to help fight coronavirus after feds bust ‘hoarding situation’
New Jersey will soon get more N95 masks and other much-needed personal protective equipment to help fight the coronavirus outbreak after a federal bust of a “significant PPE hoarding situation” in Brooklyn, Gov. Phil Murphy said Saturday.
Federal authorities seized hundreds of thousands of personal protective equipment items that are desperately needed by healthcare workers and first responders testing or treating people for the virus
Murphy said the state will receive more than 70,000 N95 masks and 5,000 gloves, among other PPE, from the site. The governor thanked U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Craig Carpenito and Newark FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Ehrie for their efforts in securing the equipment.
The governor made the announcement at his daily coronavirus press briefing after noting that COVID-19 has now killed 846 people in New Jersey, which is more than the Sept. 11, 2011 terrorist attack, which killed 704.
New Jersey now has at least 34,124 cases of the illness, officials said Saturday. The state of 9 million people has the second-most cases among U.S. states, after New York.
Murphy said he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence on Friday night and stressed that the state needs more supplies from the federal government — including 1,650 more ventilators.
In an effort to increase social distancing and curb the spread of the virus, Murphy has ordered residents to stay home, banned social gatherings, and mandated that non-essential businesses in the state close until further notice.
State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said hospitals in the northern half of New Jersey are already seeing a surge in patients with the virus, with some having to divert patients to other facilities.
Murphy has said he expects the fallout from the virus to last “deep into May.”
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