Centre County adds 2 new COVID-19 cases; 63,056 total cases reported in Pennsylvania
Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported Monday in Centre County, bringing the county’s total to 133 since March 20.
The state Health Department removed one COVID-19 death from Centre County’s tally, dropping the overall total to five and bringing the total in line with information reported by the Centre County coroner’s office.
The first death in Centre County occurred April 16, according to the coroner’s office, and have been reported among residents ranging in age from 74 to 96 years old.
It is the second time since April the DOH has removed a COVID-19 death reported in Centre County. It was not immediately clear why the death was removed.
All five deaths have been reported across three nursing or personal care homes that operate in Centre County.
Facilities with a case are not yet identified by the DOH, but three — The Oaks at Pleasant Gap, Wynwood House at State College and Centre Crest — have confirmed at least one case among a resident or employee.
Two deaths have been confirmed at The Oaks, one death has been confirmed at Wynwood House and no deaths have been confirmed at Centre Crest as of Thursday.
“As counties move from red to yellow, we need all Pennsylvanians to continue to follow the social distancing and mitigation efforts in place,” Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said in a 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.”
There are 63,056 cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania as of noon Monday, an increase of 822 since noon Sunday. It is the eighth consecutive day that there have been fewer than 1,000 new cases.
The statewide death toll increased Monday by 87, bringing the total to 4,505.
It is unknown how many Pennsylvanians have recovered from the coronavirus. The DOH is not notified when patients are discharged.
Nearly 1,650 Centre County residents have been tested as of Monday. About 8% have tested positive, according to the DOH.
In Centre County, here’s the breakdown by ZIP code (those without cases are not listed):
- 16823 (Bellefonte, Milesburg and Pleasant Gap): 38
16801 (State College): 30
16803 (State College): 20
16827 (Boalsburg): 9
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 8
16866, 16686, 16844, 16828, 16852, 16822: 1-4 cases each (Specific numbers are not available)
According to the state’s hospital preparedness dashboard, 1,885 Pennsylvanians are hospitalized and receiving treatment for the coronavirus.
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.
This story was originally published May 18, 2020 at 12:53 PM.