Reopening updates: Centre County adds 2 COVID-19 cases, and more updates for July 19

We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date coronavirus news now that Centre County is in the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to reopen Pennsylvania. Check back for updates.

Centre County adds 2 COVID-19 cases

Centre County added two new cases of COVID-19 Sunday as 786 new positives were added throughout Pennsylvania, according to the state Department of Health.

That brings Centre County’s overall total to 279 cases since March 20. Pennsylvania is now at 101,027 total cases, with an estimated 76% recovered.

In Centre County, 258 cases are confirmed and 21 are probable; 6,469 tests were negative.

Statewide, there are 7,015 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 8 new deaths reported. The DOH counts nine deaths in Centre County, while the county coroner’s office has confirmed six.

Of Pennsylvanians who have tested positive, the DOH’s breakdown in age group is as follows:

• 1% are ages 0-4;
• 1% are ages 5-12;
• Nearly 3% are ages 13-18;
• 8% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 38% are ages 25-49;
• 23% are ages 50-64; and
• Nearly 25% are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. The DOH reports significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases among younger age groups, particularly 19 to 24-year-olds.

Here’s the breakdown of confirmed Centre County cases by ZIP code:

• 16801 (State College): 62
• 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 51
• 16803 (State College): 42
• 16827 (Boalsburg): 14

• 16841 (Howard): 14

• 16822 (Beech Creek): 12

• 16870 (Port Matilda): 11
• 16875 (Spring Mills): 11

• 16866 (Philipsburg): 9

• 16828 (Centre Hall): 8

• 16686 (Tyrone): 8

• 16853 (Milesburg): 6

• 16666, 16820, 16829, 16832, 16844, 16845, 16851, 16852, 16860, 16865, 16868, 16872, 16874, 16877: 1-4 cases eachThe state does not give specific numbers when there are fewer than five cases to protect patient privacy and does not identify exactly where a case occurred in a ZIP code that spans multiple counties.

-By Jessica McAllister

What comes next? How State College is aiming to fight COVID-19 with Penn State students returning

Hundreds of college students stood shoulder-to-shoulder outside of bars and businesses in downtown State College last weekend, often without masks, prompting fear and COVID-19 concern to permeate throughout the borough.

Councilwoman Theresa Lafer said she no longer felt safe walking downtown. Family members of council president and Penn State professor Jesse Barlow urged him to stay away from the area. And council member after council member shared Monday how they received more phone calls and emails from last weekend’s social gatherings — on the scheduled weekend of Arts Fest, which was canceled but didn’t prevent crowds — than they have in recent memory.

Residents’ questions were persistent but often returned to the same theme: So what are you going to do about it?

-By Josh Moyer

Pennsylvania news

• Former Pennsylvania governors Ed Rendell, Mark Schweiker and Tom Ridge voiced their support on Friday for how Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration have handled the COVID-19 crisis. “All Pennsylvanians should heed the Wolf Administration’s directives to wear a mask when out of the home,” Ridge, a Republican, said. “Like all Pennsylvanians, Gov. Wolf and Secretary Levine are hoping to avoid the COVID-19 spikes impacting other states so that we can get our economy back up and running as soon as possible. Wearing a mask is a simple, selfless act all of us should support.”
• Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday urged Congress for quick action to help provide financial aid to restaurants through the bipartisan Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive Act. The bill would provide $120 billion to help independent restaurants with the economic challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor urged Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation to support the federal bill, which would provide grants to cover the difference between revenues from 2019 and projected revenues through 2020, with a maximum grant of $10 million.

• Pennsylvania State Police Liquor Control Enforcement Officers visited 3,904 licensed liquor establishments from July 13 through July 16 as part of its regular COVID-19 mitigation enforcement checks, and issued 44 warnings to those that failed to follow the requirements. Those requirements include wearing a face covering at all times unless seated, maintaining 6 feet of physical distance or putting up physical barriers between booths, and enforcing maximum occupancy limits. The most warnings — nine —were issued by the Harrisburg enforcement office. Violators could face administrative citation.

• The state Department of Health’s COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard comparing the seven-day period of July 10 – July 16 to the previous seven days, July 3 – July 9 indicated ”cause for concern,” Gov. Tom Wolf said Friday. As of Thursday, July 16, the state has seen a seven-day case increase of 5,579, the previous seven-day increase was 4,914. While the statewide percent-positivity is 4.4%, the Governor’s Office noted “concerning” percent-positivity rates in Beaver (8.2%), Allegheny (7.5%), Washington (6.2%), Indiana (6.1%), Lawrence (6.1%), York (6.1%), Lebanon (6.0%), Philadelphia (5.5%), Dauphin (5.1%) and Westmoreland (5.0%) counties. Centre County has a percent-positivity rate of 2.4%

Closings/cancellations

• The Snow Shoe Fall Festival Car Show set for Sept. 19 has been canceled.

Reopenings

Community outreach/appreciation

Things to do

Free food options

This story was originally published July 19, 2020 at 9:08 AM.