Presumptive cases of the coronavirus were identified in Jersey City and Hoboken, each city announced Friday morning.
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop confirmed around 11 a.m. that a 41-year-old female who lives in downtown was identified as testing positive for COVID-19.
Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced his city’s first positive test at noon. Bhalla identified him as a male in his 40s and said he is being kept in self-isolation at home.
“The Hoboken Health Department has been in close contact with the individual, who is only experiencing mild symptoms and is expected to recover fully,” Bhalla said in a statement. “Since receiving this information, the Hoboken Health Department has been developing a timeline of events.
“Individuals who may have been in contact with the patient are being notified and being recommended for self-quarantine, as advised by the New Jersey Department of Health. The Hoboken Health Department has also been in touch with these individuals and is monitoring them closely.”
Fulop said the city has had seven people go through the testing process over the last few weeks, but that this female was the first to return as positive. He said the city would report more information as it became available.
“Our health and human services officials are working aggressively, and we have been preparing for this,” he said. “We will be providing more information and support as it becomes available, but we wanted to make sure people are aware to avoid rumors and misinformation from spreading.”
Newark, the largest city in the state, has not had a presumptive positive case for coronavirus as of Friday afternoon, a city spokesperson said.
