Pennsylvania reaches 26,490 total cases of COVID-19, as Centre County adds 2 more confirmed cases
After back-to-back days without a positive case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, Centre County added two new cases Wednesday to boost its total to date to 72 overall, according to the state Department of Health.
There are now 26,490 total cases of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania as of noon Wednesday, meaning 1,145 cases are new. Although confirmed positive cases continue to climb — there were 1,146 new cases Tuesday and 1,366 Monday — this marks the sixth straight day that single-day increases have been at or below 10%. (Prior to that, single-day increases ranged between 12% and 100% for 34 consecutive days.)
The novel coronavirus first appeared in the state March 6, and every one of the state’s 67 counties had at least one confirmed case by April 7. Centre County saw its first case March 20.
“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,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a written statement Wednesday. “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 front-line responders.”
It is unknown how many Pennsylvanians, or Centre County residents, have recovered from the coronavirus because the state Department of Health doesn’t receive reports when patients are discharged. However, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, more than 500,000 patients have fully recovered worldwide out of about 2 million infected. (By comparison, 128,886 have died worldwide as of noon Wednesday.)
Locally, every county surrounding Centre County now has at least eight confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Totals from nearby counties are as follows:
- Blair County: 12 (0 deaths)
- Cambria County: 14 (1 death)
- Clearfield County: 9 (0 deaths)
- Clinton County: 8 (0 deaths)
- Huntingdon County: 12 (0 deaths)
- Juniata County: 47 (0 deaths)
- Mifflin County: 15 (0 deaths)
- Union County: 23 (0 deaths)
The statewide death toll from the virus also rose Wednesday, increasing by 63 to 647 total. However, no COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Centre County.
According to the state Department of Health, about 40% of positive cases in the state involve someone aged 25-49, followed by those aged 50-64 (29%) and 65 and older (22%). When it comes to hospitalizations, those 65 and older make up 51% of admissions, followed by those aged 50-64 (29%) and those aged 25-49 (19%).
According to the state’s hospital preparedness dashboard, no COVID-19 patients (and two non-COVID-19 patients) in the county are on ventilator care. Dr. Nirmal Joshi, chief medical officer for Mount Nittany Health, told the CDT last week that the hospital can currently provide ventilator care for up to 40 patients.
Anyone who believes they came into contact with someone who might have the coronavirus is advised to monitor their health and call their primary care provider if they develop 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 after exposure.
Those who believe they might be sick are encouraged to stay at home except to get medical care. Residents are also urged to call their health care provider before visiting. And those who do venture outside are urged to wear masks.
“It’s beginning to look like the aggressive efforts of social distancing are beginning to take hold,” Joshi told the CDT last week. “There is only one message we can give the community: Put one foot ahead of the other and keep social distancing until the time we can get out of this.”
The state updates its county-by-county coronavirus numbers at noon every day.
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 12:04 PM.
