Officials Say Feared Increase In COVID-19 Cases Related To Protests Hasn't Happened Yet

Stephanie Stahl reports.

WEEK CASES REPORTED IN 19STATES.ACCORDING TO JOHNS HOPKINSUNIVERSITY.WELL THERE IS NO EVIDENCETHAT COVID-19 IS GETTING WORSEIN OUR TRI-STATE REGION.PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, ANDDELAWARE, ALL CONTINUE TO SEEREDUCTION IN CASES, AND AREHEADED INTO DIFFERENT PHASESOF RE-OPENING.HEALTH REPORTER STEPHANIESTAHL IS HERE WITH THOSEUPDATES.HI, STEPHANIE.HIGH, JEST, A FEAREDINCREASE IN CASES OF COVID-19RELATED TO THOSE PROTESTS DOESNOT HAPPENED YET.HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THEYWON'T KNOW FOR SURE UNTIL NEXTWEEK.WE'VE SLOWED THE RATE OFTRANSMISSION TO ONE OF THELOWEST IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.NOTING IT HAS BEEN 100 DAYSSINCE THE FIRST CONFIRMED CASEOF COVID-19 IN NEW JERSEY,GOVERNOR MURPHY SAYS, THESTATE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXTSTAGE OF RE-OPENING BECAUSETHE NUMBERS HAVE CONTINUED TODECLINE.WE'VE GONE THROUGH HELL.PLEASE LET'S NOT BACK BACKTHROUGH IT.WITH LIMITED BUSINESSESOPEN NOW, MOST OF THERESTRICTIONS IN NEW JERSEYWILL BE LIFTED JUNE 22.OUR RESIDENTS HAVE DONEJUST TREMENDOUS JOB INFIGHTING THIS VIRUS.OUR CURVE, WE HAVE BROKEN THECURVE.WE'RE DEFINITELY ON THE DOWNSIDE.ACROSS THE BRIDGE IFPHILADELPHIA THERE IS ALSOPROGRESS AGAINST COVID-19.REMEMBER THREE THINGS ATALL TIMES: MASKS, DISTANCEFROM OTHER PEOPLE AND HANDWASHING.THE HEALTH COMMISSIONERSAYS A KEY INDICATOR,EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITSRELATED TO THE VIRUS ARE DOWNSIGNIFICANTLY.THE CONCERNS ABOUT A POTENTIALSPIKE IN CASES RELATED TO THEPROTEST HAS NOT HAPPENED.ALL OF OUR NUMBERS WE ARELOOKING AT SO FAR ARE STAYINGAT THE EVIDENCE OFTRANSMISSION, YES, NOW STILLEARLY, WE HAVE TO WATCH IT FORAT LEAST ANOTHER WEEK BUT SOFAR SO GOOD.DOCTOR FARLEY SAYS THEEARLIEST PHILADELPHIA COULDMOVE FROM THE YELLOW PHASE TOGREEN WHERE EVERYTHING OPENSWOULD BE JUNE 26TH.THREE WEEKS AFTER STARTINGYELLOW.WE WILL GET TO GREEN ASSOON AS THERE IS A SAFETYLEVEL THAT MAKES USCOMFORTABLE DOING.THAT WILL EVERY STEP ALONGTHE WAY WE ARE BALANCING OUTTHE RISK OF THE VIRUS, WITHTHE VERY REAL PROBLEMASSOCIATED WITH THE SHUTDOWN.IN NEIGHBORING BUCKS COUNTYTHE VIRUS HAS STABILIZED.HERE IN BUCKS COUNTY WE AREREADY TO MOVE TO GREEN AS SOONAS THE GOVERNOR LETS US.NOW, OVER IN MONTGOMERYCOUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RENOT QUITE READY TO MOVE TOGREEN THERE.BECAUSE POSITIVE TESTS INMONTGOMERY COUNTRY STILL OVER10%.MONTCO OFFICIALS SAY THEY AREHOPING FOR EARLY JULY TOREOPEN.THE LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONSEVERYWHERE DEPENDS ONCONTINUED REDUCTION OF