NJ Reports Most Daily COVID Deaths Since May 

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced a spike in coronavirus deaths Tuesday, jumping from 15 on Sunday to 90 on Monday.

This is New Jersey’s highest daily death toll since May 4.

The state has also seen a stark increase in hospitalizations, which are at their highest levels since mid-May.

The state Health Department is advising residents against all parties with non-immediate household members for the rest of the year, as it did ahead of Thanksgiving.

More restrictions are possible in the Garden State due to an expected surge on top of the surge already underway.

Gov. Murphy on Monday announced new limits on outdoor gatherings, reducing the allowable number from 150 to 25, starting next Monday. Youth and high school indoor sports will be put on hold from Friday through at least January 2.

Murphy has said he’d like to avoid another draconian shutdown for New Jersey, but has left the option on the table. If the situation forces his hand, he says he won’t hesitate to make more serious modifications to state COVID protocol.

A month ago, Murphy expressed concern as multiple New Jersey counties were reporting at least 100 new COVID-19 cases a day. On Tuesday, seven saw at least 300; three of those – Middlesex, Bergen and Essex – saw well more than 400.