The health care system said it delivered a 7% increase over the previous year, in terms of babies born.

The outgoing Senate Majority Leader was originally set to retire Jan. 11

During the announcement, which streamed at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, leaders from both organizations stressed the shared outlook of the institutions. "Today we celebrate joint missions, joint cultures, joint commitment," RWJBarnabas President and CEO Barry Ostrowsky said during the broadcast.

An $85 million philanthropic investment from the health care system to the university will create an endowment to help support the partnership.

The Bridgewater-based company says the deal expands its commercial institutional and specialty portfolio in neurology, and adds commercial infrastructure in advance of its entry into the biosimilar institutional market.

The assets include patient safety, quality, and advanced analytics solutions, including DataVision and Statit, supporting approximately 2,200 health care facilities.

Lydia Stockman will oversee operations at the network's Mullica Hill and Woodbury medical centers.

The biggest fear right now is lack of staffing, and facilities are being told to prepare for as much as 30% of their staff to be out sick with the virus at any given time, according to Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli.

The New Jersey Hospital Association issued the voluntary guidance on Dec. 29. Cathy Bennett, the trade group's president and CEO, called the move a “necessary precaution” in the face of hospitalization levels not seen in a year.

The orders from the Passaic and Hudson county municipalities follows similar new orders from places including Newark, South Orange and Montclair.

The companies announced on Dec 23 that their combined resources will increase the availability of test kits to consumers.

It's the second New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company to make such an announcement in the last week.