UPDATE: 8 new coronavirus cases pushes N.J. total to 23

State health officials on Tuesday announced the first coronavirus death in New Jersey as a 69-year-old man from Bergen County, while the total number of positive cases in the state increased to 15.

“We are sad to report the first death in a case of COVID-19 in New Jersey," New Jersey officials said in a statement. "Our prayers are with the family during this difficult time. We remain vigilant to doing all we can — across all levels of government — to protect the people of New Jersey.”

In addition, there were 20 pending tests at the state lab as of Tuesday with another 31 people considered under investigation, New Jersey Department of Health officials said. There have also been 44 negative tests so far.

The 69-year-old man, who had pre-existing health conditions, died Tuesday morning, state health officials said. He is among the four new presumptive positive coronavirus cases revealed Tuesday from the state’s lab.

The man’s history included diabetes, hypertension, gastro-intestinal bleeding and emphysema, officials said. He came down with a fever and cough that were treated with antibiotics and tamiflu. When his condition didn’t improve he was admitted to Hackensack University Medical Center on March 6.

Though the man didn’t have a history of international travel, he regularly went back and forth to New York, officials said.

The other three new coronavirus cases include one in Bergen County and two in Burlington County. There are now coronavirus cases in seven of New Jersey’s 21 counties.

Officials declared a state of emergency on Monday evening to help coordinate the response. State health officials also advised residents to stock up on a 14-day supply of food and medicine just in case they need to be quarantined.

The coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey has prompted dozens of school districts to close or call for early dismissals to either clean facilities or plan with staff to switch to online instruction. In addition, colleges in New Jersey have started to make announcements about schedule adjustments with spring break nearing.

On Monday, officials announced five more positive tests, pushing the total at that time from six to 11:

An 18-year-old from Clifton was exposed to coronavirus after having close contact on March 2 with a person in New York who was a known positive case. The Passaic County resident, who is not hospitalized, showed an onset of symptoms Friday.

A 48-year-old Berkeley Heights resident was exposed to coronavirus after having contact with friends who traveled from Milan, Italy. The Union County resident showed an onset of symptoms March 1 and was hospitalized at Overlook Medical Center in Summit. The friends tested negative and the case remains under investigation. Officials called it an unusual case.

A 27-year-old Little Silver man who attended the attended the Biogen conference in Boston from Feb. 24-28 showed an onset of symptoms on Feb. 29. Though he is not hospitalized, 170 conference attendees have tested positive for coronavirus.

An 83-year-old Hazlet woman fell ill on March 3 and was hospitalized at Hackensack Meridian’s Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel. It’s not known how she was exposed to the virus.

A 30-year-old from Teaneck began showing symptoms on March 3 and was hospitalized at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck. How the person got exposed to coronavirus is not known.

Prior to Monday there were six known cases in the state:

A 70-year-old male healthcare worker from Teaneck, who was in stable condition in the ICU of St. Joseph’s Medical Center. He was admitted to the Paterson hospital Friday. He had an onset of symptoms Feb. 28, officials said.

A 32-year-old man from West New York, who was in stable condition at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack. This man also has not completed a full interview and it is not known who in New Jersey he came in contact with after his onset of symptoms, also on Feb. 28, officials said.

32-year-old man who lives in an apartment in Fort Lee and works in New York City, where he has another residence. The man, a health care worker, had traveled to Fort Lee alone on March 1 and had no contact with any other people while in town, according to Fort Lee’s mayor. The man was being treated for the coronavirus in Hackensack University Medical Center.

An Englewood woman in her 30s who sought treatment at Englewood Health Hospital in Bergen County. Officials said she was released from the hospital March 5 and is self-quarantined at her home. There was a gathering of 15 people at the woman’s home on Feb. 29; all of those people were told to self-quarantine.

A 61-year-old man from Cherry Hill, who was admitted to Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital on March 3 and was in stable condition, according to state officials.

A 55-year-old Englewood man who was admitted to Englewood Hospital and Medical Center on March 4 and was in stable condition, according to state officials. The Englewood man attended services at Temple Young Israel in New Rochelle, New York — which a number of of New York coronavirus cases has been tied to — on Feb. 23. The Englewood man attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, a spokeswoman for Gov. Phil Murphy told NJ Advance Media.

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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