Murphy waives fees for COVID-19 testing for some NJ residents

New Jersey officials report first death from coronavirus

A total of 15 people have tested presumptively positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, and one person has died.

TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says the state will waive fees for COVID-19 testing for more than 2 million residents on certain health plans.

The waivers apply to residents with health insurance through their jobs with the state and public schools, as well as to those using the state's social safety net programs.

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Murphy also urged the state's other health carriers covering people who get insurance through their jobs to follow suit.

The state's biggest insurer, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, has already said it would waive costs for medically necessary coronavirus tests.

This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (round gold objects) emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. (NIAID-RML)

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New Jersey officials on Tuesday announced the state's first novel coronavirus-related death in the state, as cases of COVID-19 rose to 15.

Officials said the deceased patient, who they did not identify, was a 69-year-old Bergen County man with known health issues. He had no known travel outside the U.S.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.