Centre County adds 2 new cases of COVID-19; Pennsylvania up to 56,611 total cases
Centre County is now up to 119 cases of coronavirus, according to the state Department of Health, two more than were reported Saturday.
There are now 56,611 total cases of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania, with 1,295 new cases since Saturday at noon. The state’s death total increased by 19 to 3,707 Sunday afternoon.
The DOH website lists Centre County at two COVID-19 deaths, though Centre County Scott Sayers confirmed Saturday that there were two new deaths at a county nursing home, bringing the death toll to three.
Both people who recently died of COVID-19 were living at The Oaks at Pleasant Gap, an assisted living facility. Both patients, one a 96-year-old male, and the other an 89-year-old female, died at Mount Nittany Medical Center.
Centre County reported no new cases Sunday among nursing or personal care home staff. 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, as Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said last week the governor’s office is still weighing privacy concerns vs. public interest. However, three facilities have confirmed to the Centre Daily Times that they’ve had confirmed cases cases: The Oaks, Wynwood House at State College and Centre Crest.
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. There are 227,772 patients who have tested negative in Pennsylvania to date.
Centre County was one of 24 counties to move from the red phase to the yellow phase Friday, but the county is still susceptible to regression and a possible move back to red if the spread of COVID-19 worsens.
“As we ... 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 in a statement Friday. “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.”
Every county surrounding Centre County has at least 25 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Totals from nearby counties are as follows:
- Blair County: 28 cases (0 deaths)
- Cambria County: 44 cases (one death)
- Clearfield County: 25 cases (0 deaths)
- Clinton County: 41 cases (0 deaths)
- Huntingdon County: 181 cases (0 deaths)
- Juniata County: 93 cases (one death)
- Mifflin County: 52 cases (0 deaths)
- Union County: 40 cases (one 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
16803 (State College): 16
16827 (Boalsburg): 9
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 8
16666, 16686, 16860, 16841, 16866, 16844, 16828, 16852, 16822: 1-4 cases each (Specific numbers not available)
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 that the hospital can provide ventilator care for up to 40 patients.
Across the state, 2,244 people are hospitalized and receiving treatment for COVID-19 as of Sunday morning.
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.
The state updates its county-by-county coronavirus numbers at noon every day.
This story was originally published May 10, 2020 at 12:14 PM.
