CDC Virus Confirmation Taking Longer Than Expected, N.J. Says

(Bloomberg) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s confirmation of cases of the new coronavirus is taking longer than expected, according to Christopher Neuwirth, assistant commissioner of New Jersey’s health department.

The state had expected confirmation of its first two cases on March 7. When officials reached out to the CDC for explanation on March 8, the federal agency did not offer one, Neuwirth said on a call with reporters.

Other states are having similar experiences, he said.

New Jersey now has six presumptive cases, up from four on Saturday, and expects “increasing activity daily, if not hourly,” Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said on the call.

The state is hoping for confirmation of the first two cases at any time, the third and fourth cases by March 11 and the fifth and sixth by the end of the week, Neuwirth said.

The state has 27 additional people under investigation, in nine of the state’s 21 counties. It expects to complete testing on them today and have the results tomorrow, Persichilli said.

“From north to south, the coronavirus seems to be spreading,” she said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Stacie Sherman in Princeton at sbabula@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Flynn McRoberts at fmcroberts1@bloomberg.net, Virginia Van Natta

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