New Jersey coronavirus death toll now at 1,232. Total cases rise to 44,416 with 3K new positive tests.

With the state’s projected peak still likely weeks away, New Jersey officials announced Tuesday the coronavirus’ statewide death toll has increased to 1,232, while total cases have hit 44,416, after another 3,361 new positive cases and 232 new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

“It’s almost unfathomable when you think about it — 1,232 lost lives,” Gov. Phil Murphy said at the Trenton War Memorial during his daily coronavirus press briefing.

The 232 new deaths mark the state’s highest single-day increase during the outbreak. Officials said 10% of the fatalities have been residents of long-term care facilities.

“We honor their legacies as we grieve with their families,” Murphy said. “We need to continue doing all we can to slow the spread of the coronavirus.”

State officials Tuesday also started sharing race data for the deaths. For 729 of the 1,232 deaths where the information is available, 60% are white, 24% are black or African-American, 5% are Asian, and 11% are another race.

Also, 44% of cases have documented underlying conditions, and 670 cases are still under investigation.

Murphy also ordered all state parks and forests, and all county parks, to close on Tuesday.

The Garden State, which has 9 million residents, has more cases than any U.S. state other than New York. Federal officials have identified New Jersey as a coronavirus “hotspot” in the U.S.

There have been 50,558 negative tests for COVID-19 in New Jersey so far, according to the state’s tracking website. New Jersey’s positive test rate is currently 43.77%.

State officials have not yet reported how many people have recovered from the illness.

State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said there are 7,017 people hospitalized in the state either with COVID-19 or under investigation for having it. Of those, 1,651 are in critical care — and 94% of those are on ventilators, Persichilli said.

“I want to assure you our plans are moving in the direction to be able to accommodate those patients,” she added. “But we still need ventilators.”

The partial county-by-county breakdown of coronavirus cases includes:

  • Bergen County: 7,533 with 263 deaths
  • Essex County: 5,078 with 232 deaths
  • Hudson County: 4,949 with 103 deaths
  • Union County: 4,358 with 95 deaths
  • Passaic County: 4,101 with 62 deaths
  • Middlesex County: 3,717 with 100 deaths
  • Monmouth County: 2,770 with 71 deaths
  • Ocean County: 2,641 with 85 deaths
  • Morris County: 2,239 with 87 deaths
  • Somerset County: 1,033 with 40 deaths
  • Mercer County: 837 with 24 deaths
  • Camden County: 736 with 12 deaths
  • Burlington County: 733 with 13 deaths
  • Sussex County: 331 with 15 deaths
  • Gloucester County: 311 with 5 deaths
  • Warren County: 255 with 7 deaths
  • Hunterdon County: 234 with 2 deaths
  • Atlantic County: 144 with 4 deaths
  • Cape May County: 94 with 2 deaths
  • Cumberland County: 71 with 2 deaths
  • Salem County: 31 with 3 deaths

Another 2,220 cases and 5 deaths remain under investigation to determine the county where the infected person resides.

Murphy said Monday that New Jersey could see a peak surge in cases between April 19 and May 11, while the peak number of hospitalizations could come between April 10 and April 28. Officials said under a best-case scenario, the state’s total number of cases would peak at 86,000.

But that is only if New Jersey residents continue practicing social distancing. Murphy has put the state under near-lockdown to help, ordering residents to stay at home, banning social gatherings, closing schools, and mandating that non-essential retail businesses remain closed until further notice.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage

Murphy said Tuesday he spoke with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont about preparing a possible “regional approach” to testing, tracking, and reopening businesses and schools.

“If do it on a regional basis, we’ll be a lot better off for it,” Murphy said.

But he stressed he does not have a date for when the restrictions on residents might end.

“We’re not even close,” Murphy said. “Everybody watching: Stay at home. I hate to break people’s bubbles, but we’re just not close.”

Earlier Tuesday, Cuomo tweeted support to his neighboring state, saying “our thoughts are with our brothers and sisters across the Hudson.”

It’s difficult to get a complete picture of exactly how many people in New Jersey currently have COVID-19 because officials say testing has been backed up for up to 14 days. Meanwhile, the state is testing only people showing symptoms of the virus, even though asymptomatic people can carry it.

About 85% of patients have only mild symptoms of COVID-19, while about 15% — especially people with pre-existing conditions — have more serious reactions, officials say.

Officials have said that hospitals — especially in the northern half of New Jersey — have been dealing with a surge in patients with the virus, sometimes having to divert patients to other facilities.

To prepare for the peak surge, the state continues to seek much-needed medical supplies and equipment — including life-saving ventilators.

New Jersey is also working with the federal government to construct field hospitals to handle the overflow. The first one opened in Secaucus on Monday and a second is set to open Wednesday in Edison. A third is scheduled follow April 14 in Atlantic City.

Plus, officials said Monday the state has ordered 20 refrigerated trucks capable of storing 1,680 bodies to take the stress off morgues and funeral homes as the outbreak continues to claim lives.

As of Tuesday morning, the virus has infected more than 1.4 million people across the globe, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University. Of those, more than 76,000 have died and more than 292,000 have recovered.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether it’s a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share.

If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.