New Jersey on Thursday reported 4,503 COVID-19 confirmed positive tests and 14 deaths as new cases have shown early signs of leveling off this week. The state’s seven-day average for confirmed cases was 3,862 on Thursday, down 4% from a week ago and up 108% from a month ago. The seven-day average has hovered between 3,800 and 4,000 daily positive tests for the last 12 days. The statewide rate of transmission for Thursday was 1.12. When the transmission rate is over 1, that means each new case is leading to at least one additional case and the outbreak is expanding. But the transmission rate ha…