Gov. Phil Murphy Visits South Jersey Tuesday

Cleve Bryan reports.

RECEIVED PLASMA TRANSFUSIONSARE STEADILY RECUPERATING.GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHYVISITED SOUTH JERSEY TO DAY.HE SAYS THERE ARE WEEKS TO GOBEFORE THE GARDEN STATEREOPENS ITS ECONOMY.CLEVE BRYAN'S IN WASHINGTONTOWNSHIP WITH MORE ON THEGOVERNOR'S VISIT.HI THERE, CLEVE.REPORTER: GOVERNORCONTINUES TO WARN RESIDENTS INSOUTH JERSEY THAT WHILE PEAKOF THE VIRUS APPEARS TO HAVEPASSED IN THE NORTHERN PART OFTHE STATE IT HADS NOT YETREACHED ITS PEAK IN THESOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE ANDGOVERNOR MURPHY WAS TOURINGTHE SHORE AS A NEW RESOURCE.RATHER THEN CHECKING OUTBOATS, CAMPERS, NEW JERSEYGOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY GOT ATORE OF THE ATLANTIC CITYCONVENTION CENTER ON TUESDAYTHANKS TO THE U.S. ARMY COVEROF ENGINEER NEW JERSEY'S THIRDFIELD MEDICAL STATION IS NOWREADY HERE WITH 250 BEDS TOHELP HOSPITALS, SHOULD THEYSTRUGGLE TOLL HANDLE CASES OFCOVID-19.FORTUNATELY OVER PAST WEEKHOSPITAL COUNTS HAVESTABILIZED IN NEW JERSEY ANDEVEN DECLINE.BUT HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN THATTHE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS HASPROBABLY NOT YET REACHED ITSPEAK IN SOUTH JERSEY.WE NEED CAPACITY WHETHER WENEED IT FROM NEXT WEEK WEDON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT UPAGAIN AND THIS IS GOING TO BEONE PIECE OF THE AN IMPORTANTPUZZLE FOR US IN TERMS OF INPARTICULAR THIS DATE, BEDS ANDCAPACITY.REPORTER: AFTER ATLANTICCITY MURPHY STOPPED INWILDWOOD TO SEE EXTENSIVEBOARDWALK DAMAGE CAUSED BY ASTORM EARL THEY ARE MONTH.MAYOR PETE BYRON SAYS WILDWOODCOULD USE STATE ASSISTANCE ASTHEY MAINTAIN AND REPAIR AGINGBOARDWALK.OUR CONCERN WHAT IF WOULDHAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THESUMMER, SO IT IS AN EYEOPENER, AND YOU KNOW,POTENTIALLY A FORSHADOW OFTHINGS TO COME.REPORTER: MURPHY CONTINUESTO DESCRIBE COVID-19 PANDEMICAS MANAGEABLE AS FAR ASHOSPITALIZATIONS ARE CONCERNBUT THE MOUNTING DEATH TOLLWHICH GREW TO AMERICAN 4700 ASSTATE ANNOUNCED 379 NEWDEATHS.THE SINGLE HIGHEST DAILY DEATHCOUNT TO DATE.MAIN REASON MURPHY SAYS HE ISNOT RED TOY MAKE ANY PLANS TOREOPEN UP THE STATE.WE NEED TO SEE THIS CURVEFINALLY START TO DECLINE, SOWE MUST KEEP OUR STRONG SOCIALDISTANCING, AND POLICIES INPLACE FOR AT LEAST THE NEXTSEVERAL WEEKS.REPORTER: GOVERNOR MURPHYMENTIONED SCHOOLS YET AGAINAND WHILE HE SAYS HIS ORDER ISIN PLACE TO KEEP THEM CLOSEDTHROUGH MAY 15TH, HE HINTED ATTHERE BEING REQUIREMENTS LIKEFACE MASKS OR MOVINGCHILDREN'S TO SPACE THEMAROUND SHOULD THINGS RETURN TO