‘Zero Patients With Active COVID’ At Newark Hospital, CEO Says

NEWARK, NJ — It wasn’t long ago that University Hospital was so overwhelmed with coronavirus cases that an 85-person medical team from the U.S. Army was dispatched to help it cope with the chaos. But things have changed since April 2020 at the busy Newark hospital, which reported a major landmark on Thursday: “zero patients with active COVID-19.”

That was the word from CEO Shereef Elnahal, the former commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, who tweeted the update along with a message of hope.

“Huge milestone for our health care heroes, and the patients and families we serve,” he wrote. “Let’s keep this going as long as possible.”

The hospital recently got another assist from the U.S. military during the omicron surge; doctors, nurses and staff at the hospital bid farewell to 25 military medical support team members last week. Read More: Military COVID Staff Applauded As They Leave Newark Hospital

Elnahal’s announcement came on the same day as another major coronavirus milestone in Newark: the lifting of the city’s indoor mask mandate.

New Jersey’s largest city is "trending in the right direction" when it comes to coronavirus transmission, Newark officials said Wednesday. Read More: NJ Moves Essex County To 'Low' COVID Activity Level

The Department of Health and Community Wellness has been tracking COVID-19 in Newark, and reports that its test positivity rate between Feb. 21 and Feb. 27 was 1.57 percent, which is progressively lower than prior weeks.

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