Centre County adds 3 new COVID-19 cases as Pennsylvania’s total nears 58,000
Centre County added three new coronavirus cases Tuesday, according to the state Department of Health. The total number of reported cases since the pandemic began is 122.
There are now 57,991 total cases of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania, with 837 new cases since Monday’s update. The state’s death total increased by 75 to 3,806 in Tuesday’s noon update.
The DOH website lists two COVID-19 deaths in Centre County, though Centre County Scott Sayers confirmed two new deaths from a county nursing home Saturday, bringing the total to three after an 89-year-old man was the county’s first death on April 16.
The two 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.
Three new COVID-19 cases among nursing or personal care home staff in Centre County appeared on the DOH’s website Monday. There are 15 cases among residents and seven 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’s not known how many cases each facility has, or how those cases break down among residents and staff at each facility.
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 237,989 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 Monday 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.”
Every county surrounding Centre County has at least 30 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Totals from nearby counties are as follows:
- Blair County: 30 cases (0 deaths)
- Cambria County: 44 cases (one death)
- Clearfield County: 30 cases (0 deaths)
- Clinton County: 41 cases (0 deaths)
- Huntingdon County: 190 cases (0 deaths)
- Juniata County: 94 cases (one death)
- Mifflin County: 52 cases (0 deaths)
- Union County: 41 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): 28
16803 (State College): 19
16827 (Boalsburg): 9
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 8
- 16686 (Tyrone): 5
16666, 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, 2,187 people are hospitalized and receiving treatment for COVID-19 as of Tuesday.
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.
