TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Monday announced that 20% of new COVID-19 cases reported across the state were among fully vaccinated individuals., a sharp increase in infection among the vaccinated population.
During this week, we counted 4,332 new positive cases. 3,529 of these – that’s 81.5% – were of unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people.
Although a high number of vaccinated people are now contracting the virus, Murphy claims 99.9% of those cases are mild.
“We also have updated figures on breakthrough cases from Dr. Ed Lifshitz and his team at the Communicable Disease Service at the Department of Health,” Murphy said. “These numbers take us through July 26th, and as you can see here, the vaccines are still proving themselves highly effective, and well more than 99% of those who’ve received them are finding protection from contracting the virus, from hospitalization, and please God, thank God, from a COVID-related death.”
Seconds later, the governor contradicted his own numbers. Shortly after saying the vaccine offers a 99.9% protection level from hospitalization, Murphy announced 3% of those hospitalized were fully vaccinated.
“I do want to spend a minute on just the latest week in this data, and that’s from July 20 to July 26th, and you can see that in front of you,” he added. “Additionally, of the 378 new COVID positive hospitalizations statewide for the week, 97% or 367 out of 378 were people who were either again unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated.”