As total Pennsylvania COVID-19 cases surpass 24,000, no new cases reported in Centre County
For the first time since March 22, no new cases of the coronavirus were reported in Centre County on Monday, according to the state Department of Health.
With 70 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Centre County, there are 24,199 cases of in Pennsylvania as of noon Monday, an increase of 1,366 since noon Sunday.
The coronavirus first appeared in the state March 6; Centre County reported its first case March 20; and all 67 of the state’s counties reported a case by April 7.
The death toll also rose Monday, increasing by 20 to 524. No COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Centre County.
“COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in Pennsylvania, and even though the daily increases are not exponential, now is not the time to become complacent,” state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a release Monday. “We must continue to stay home to protect ourselves, our families, our community. If you must go out, please make as few trips as possible and wear a mask to protect not only yourself, but other people as well. We need all Pennsylvanians to continue to heed these efforts to protect our vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our health care workers and frontline responders.”
Totals from nearby counties are as follows:
- Blair County: 11
- Cambria County: 14
- Clearfield County: 9
- Clinton County: 8
- Huntingdon County: 11
- Juniata County: 39
- Mifflin County: 17
- Union County: 21
It is unknown how many Pennsylvanians have recovered from the coronavirus. The state Department of Health is not notified when patients are discharged.
About 41% of positive cases statewide involve someone aged 25-49, followed by those aged 50-64 (29%) and 65 and older (21%), the DOH reported.
About 51% of inpatients hospitalized due to the coronavirus are 65 and older, the DOH reported.
According to a hospital preparedness dashboard from the DOH, Centre County has five ventilators in use — two in use for COVID-19 patients. Last week, Dr. Nirmal Joshi, chief medical officer for Mount Nittany Health, said that the hospital can currently provide ventilator care for up to 40 patients — “and we are awaiting shipment of additional ventilators.”
Those who may have come in contact with someone who might have COVID-19 are advised to monitor their health and contact their health care provider immediately if they have symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms include cough, fever and shortness of breath. Symptoms can appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days, according to the CDC.
