The number of New Jerseyans hospitalized with COVID-19 took a big jump toward 3,000 Tuesday after a more than 12% overnight increase.
The state announced there were now 2,979 being treated in hospitals, up 325 from Monday’s total of 2,654 (an increase of 12.25%).
The total represents the most people hospitalized since Feb. 3 of this year, when there were 2,982 people hospitalized. The last time the state topped 3,000 was on Jan. 29, at 3,075.
The jump in numbers comes at a time when many are suggesting hospitalizations — not confirmed cases — should be the way the Omicron variant is judged.
Meanwhile, the number of people on ventilators increased to 244 from 223 (an 8.6% increase). There are 492 patients in intensive or critical care.
As for new cases, some feel an increased desire to get tested — combined with a struggle to find testing or a long wait to get it — potentially skews that number.
On Tuesday, the state announced 11,889 new confirmed cases, continuing a yo-yo trend from the past week:
- Tuesday: 11,889
- Monday: 8,831
- Sunday: 12,538
- Saturday: 16,626
- Friday: 15,482
- Thursday: 9,711
- Wednesday: 6,840
This metric differs from hospitalizations, which had been on a slow increase until today:
- Tuesday: 2,979
- Monday: 2,654
- Sunday: 2,462
- Saturday: 2,375
- Friday: 2,241
- Thursday: 2,100
- Wednesday: 2,034
