WASHINGTON, July 5 (Xinhua) -- New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Sunday called for a federal mask requirement, saying it should be the core of a national strategy to combat a rise in new COVID-19 cases.

Speaking on NBC, Murphy said, "We cannot afford to go through hell again."

The governor said virus cases are on the upswing again in New Jersey as residents return from vacations in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and areas of Florida.

New Jersey suffered mightily in the early days of the pandemic but had seen much improvement in recent weeks, but the numbers are turning higher again, according to Murphy,

"If you're leaving your house, put on a mask," Murphy said. "We went through hell, we cannot afford to go through hell again."