N.J.: No confirmed COVID fatalities — a 1st since earliest days of pandemic

The statement is significant more for its wording than its meaning: The state of New Jersey reported no new confirmed deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday.

That doesn’t necessarily mean no one in the state died from COVID on Monday. In fact, the state’s 71 hospitals reported six fatalities that they believe were the result of COVID. But none of those fatalities — and none of the fatalities reported on previous days — was confirmed.

Tuesday marks the first time since March 17, 2020 — just days into the time the pandemic reached New Jersey — that the state has zero confirmed deaths. The state reported no deaths in hospitals June 24.

The announcement should not be viewed as a sign the pandemic is over. The state reported 145 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 — and 54 additional probable cases.

The rate of transmission is 0.95.

The good news: The state continues to reach vaccination milestones. Over the holiday weekend, the state reported it has administered more than 10 million shots and that more than 5 million residents are fully vaccinated.