COVID cases are up, but RT is down — and hospitalizations are much lower than earlier spikes

The rate of infection and hospitalization from COVID-19 continues to grow in New Jersey, as the state recorded the most new cases (1,173) since early May. And that doesn’t count the 434 probable cases it recorded. Hospitalizations (576) are up, too.

The good news: The metrics appear to show what Gov. Phil Murphy and others have been saying for weeks and months — the new cases are not resulting in patients who are dangerously sick

While the number of hospitalizations jumped to 576 — the second consecutive day the state has been over 500 — the total is nowhere near where the state was in early May.

On May 7, the state reported 1,317 new cases, but also said there were 1,282 people hospitalized. In addition, 292 people were in intensive care — and 202 of those people were on ventilators.

Today, the state has only 98 people in intensive care — and only 43 people on ventilators.

The rate of transmission, which was over 1.50 as recently as July 29, dropped to 1.39 — the first time it has been below 1.4 since July 20.