Gov. Murphy extends public health emergency for another month

FOX 29's Steve Keeley has the latest.

TRENTON - New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has extended the public health emergency declaration stemming from the coronavirus outbreak for another month.

He made the announcement Wednesday. Murphy first signed the declaration in March and renewed it in April.

"Extending this declaration ensures that we can continue using every resource at our disposal to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” Murphy said.

FULL COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS

“I want to ensure that this extension is not interpreted to mean that we are reconsidering our path forward or changing course on the principles I laid out last week in the Road Back plan."

The declaration allows the Democrat to invoke emergency powers, like ordering businesses to close.

Murphy said he decided to extend the declaration because it automatically expires after 30 days and the underlying conditions making it necessary haven’t changed.

He also announced about 1,500 new virus cases. That puts the total at about 132,000 along, with 308 new deaths. That brings the state death toll to 8,549.

Small business loan program plagued by outages, delays as second wave of aid begins

What you can and can’t do when Wildwood beaches, boardwalks reopen Friday

___

For the latest local news, sports and weather, download the FOX 29 News app.

DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP