NJ Man Who Died From Coronavirus Worked in Lower Hudson Valley

The first person to die from coronavirus in New Jersey worked at a popular Lower Hudson Valley business.

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On Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced a man in his sixties from Bergen County, who was recently diagnosed with coronavirus was the first person in New Jersey to die from COVID-19.

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NorthJersey.Com identified the man as John Brennan, a horse trainer and mainstay in the paddock of Yonkers Raceway.

New Jersey Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli said the 69-year-old man had a history of diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, GI bleeding and emphysema.

It's believed he didn't travel outside the United States, but did have a history of traveling back and forth to New York and worked in Westchester County where the are over 100 confirmed coronavirus cases, as of this writing.

"He presented a week ago with fever and cough to his primary care physician, was treated with antibiotics and Tamiflu. He did not improve and was admitted to Hackensack University Medical Center on March 6th. History was taken and specimens were sent to the state lab on March 7th. All isolation precautions were taken. He was placed in a stepdown unit. His condition started to deteriorate last evening. He suffered a cardiac arrest, was successfully revived, but suffered another arrest this morning and expired. The family has been notified," Persichilli said during a press conference on Tuesday.

Brennan began his career in harness racing in Saratoga Springs, according to USTA. He trained horses for over 40 years in New York and New Jersey.