Centre County adds 3 new COVID-19 cases as statewide total tops 52,000
Three new coronavirus cases were reported in Centre County Thursday, according to the state Department of Health.
Centre County now has 116 overall cases of COVID-19, and statewide numbers continue to rise. As of noon Thursday, there are now 52,915 total cases of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania, meaning 1,070 cases are new.
Centre County reported two new cases among nursing or personal care home residents. There are 12 cases among residents and six among staff at three long-term care facilities, according to the DOH.
Specific nursing homes are not yet publicly named by the state DOH, as Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said earlier this week the governor’s office is still weighing privacy concerns vs. public interest. Still, three such homes have confirmed to the Centre Daily Times that they’ve experienced cases — The Oaks at Pleasant Gap, Wynwood House at State College and Centre Crest.
The increase in county nursing or personal care homes comes after Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement that 24 counties — including Centre County — will partially reopen Friday. The elderly are especially susceptible from complications from the virus, based on state and global data.
According to the state Department of Health, those 65 and older are hospitalized at a rate nearly two times that of any other age range. Those aged 65-79 are hospitalized 20% of the time they test positive, followed by those 80 and older (19%), 50-64 (10%), 30-49 (5%) and 0-29 (2%). When it comes to positive cases, those 25-49 account for 37%, followed by 65 and older (27%), 50-64 (27%) and 19-24 (6%).
“As we prepare to move a number of counties from red to yellow, we need all Pennsylvanians to continue to follow the social distancing and mitigation efforts in place,” Levine said Thursday in a written statement. “We must continue to protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, which includes our seniors, those with underlying health issues, our healthcare workers and our first 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 1.2 million patients have fully recovered worldwide out of about 3.7 million infected. (By comparison, 258,160 have died worldwide as of Wednesday morning.)
Locally, every county surrounding Centre County now has had at least 21 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Totals from nearby counties are as follows:
- Blair County: 28 (0 deaths)
- Cambria County: 37 (1 death)
- Clearfield County: 22 (0 deaths)
- Clinton County: 35 (0 deaths)
- Huntingdon County: 109 (0 deaths)
- Juniata County: 92 (1 death)
- Mifflin County: 48 (0 deaths)
- Union County: 40 (1 death)
In Centre County, here’s the breakdown by ZIP code (those without cases are not listed):
- 16823 (Bellefonte, Milesburg and Pleasant Gap): 34
- 16801 (State College): 27
16827 (Boalsburg): 9
- 16803 (State College): 9
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 8
16666, 16841, 16866, 16686, 16844, 16828, 16852, 16822: 1-4 cases each (Specific numbers not available)
The statewide death toll rose Thursday, increasing by 310 to 3,416 total. So far, one total COVID-19 death has been reported in Centre County — an 89-year-old man, according to Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers.
According to the state’s hospital preparedness dashboard, no COVID-19 patients in the county are on ventilator care. Dr. Nirmal Joshi, chief medical officer for Mount Nittany Health, told the CDT last month 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.
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 out are urged to wear masks.
The state updates its county-by-county coronavirus numbers at noon every day.
