Reopening updates: Centre County adds 5 COVID-19 cases as Pa. reports 962 new positives

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.

School openings hinge on case counts, health official warns

Every region of Pennsylvania has seen an increase in the rate of positive coronavirus cases and failing to stop that could jeopardize the reopening of schools for the fall semester, the state’s top health official said Thursday.

In addition, Health Secretary Rachel Levine said the majority of counties have seen increases in the number of new cases.

“It’s critical to drive down the case counts now in terms of the rise of new cases in order to prepare for schools to reopen,” Levine said during a news conference Thursday. “If we don’t do that now, that would put that in jeopardy.”

-Associated Press

Centre County adds 5 COVID-19 cases

With five new cases Thursday, Centre County has now had more than 300 COVID-19 cases since the first was reported March 20.

The overall total is now 304, according to the state Department of Health, with 275 confirmed and 29 probable. There have been 7,283 negative tests.

Pennsylvania gained 962 additional positive cases of COVID-19 Thursday, bringing the statewide total to 104,358. Allegheny is reporting an increase of 147 cases, and Philadelphia is reporting an increase of 311 cases, which is a culmination from the past two days. No data was reported from Philadelphia on Wednesday.

There have been 981,259 negative tests in Pennsylvania, and the DOH estimates a 75% recovery rate.

Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• 1% are ages 0-4;
• 1% are ages 5-12;
• 3% are ages 13-18;
• Nearly 9% are ages 19-24;
• 37% are ages 25-49;
• 23% are ages 50-64; and
• 25% are ages 65 or older.

There are 7,079 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 16 new deaths reported. In Centre County, the DOH counts nine COVID-19 deaths, though the coroner’s office has confirmed only six.

COVID-19 deaths confirmed by the Centre County Coroner’s Office have been an 89-year-old man on April 16, a 96-year-old man May 8, an 89-year-old woman May 9, a 74-year-old man May 12, an 88-year-old woman May 13 and an 88-year-old man May 27.

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

• 16801 (State College): 64
• 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 52
• 16803 (State College): 43
• 16827 (Boalsburg): 14

• 16841 (Howard): 14

• 16822 (Beech Creek): 12

• 16870 (Port Matilda): 12
• 16875 (Spring Mills): 13

• 16866 (Philipsburg): 13

• 16828 (Centre Hall): 8

• 16686 (Tyrone): 8

• 16853 (Milesburg): 6

• 16666, 16802, 16820, 16829, 16832, 16844, 16845, 16851, 16852, 16860, 16865, 16868, 16872, 16874, 16877: 1-4 cases each.

-By Jessica McAllister

A Penn State student-athlete tested positive for COVID-19. Here’s what we know

A Penn State student-athlete recently tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first person to test positive in the University Park ZIP code and the first student-athlete to contract the virus, the athletics department confirmed Thursday morning.

Neither the sport nor the identity of the individual was announced. WPSU was the first to report the story Thursday, after the state Department of Health revealed a positive test in the 16802 ZIP code on Wednesday. (There were no listed cases prior.)

“The health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the broader community are of the utmost importance,” read a statement from Intercollegiate Athletics.

-By Josh Moyer

How is State College doing financially with the COVID-19 impact? Here’s what local officials said

Despite a negative budget impact of $1.2 million due to COVID-19, the borough of State College remains in “good financial condition” for now — although Mayor Ron Filippelli said he anticipated the financial situation getting worse and implored residents to contact their local representatives.

In a YouTube video posted Saturday, Filippelli told residents the $1.2 million budget impact through the end of June “is certainly not where it’s going to end” because earned income taxes and local services taxes still haven’t been collected, parking remains free until August, and a $2 million bond payment is due in September for parking structures.

“We don’t yet know what the total impact is going to be,” Filippelli said. “So we need help.”

-By Josh Moyer

Pennsylvania news

• Presidents of Penn State, Pittsburgh and Temple universities voiced support Wednesday for Gov. Tom Wolf’s mask-wearing and COVID-19 mitigation measures. “If we are to be successful in our plans to return to teaching, learning and working on our campuses this fall, each one of us must take actions now, based on science and public health practices, to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus,” Penn State President Eric Barron said. “Penn State is finalizing plans to support the critical aspects outlined by Gov. Wolf — from wearing face masks to maintaining social distancing to testing and contact tracing — in order to do our part to minimize the impact of the virus. It’s crucial that we all work together to help keep our campuses and our communities safe and healthy, and we are grateful for Gov. Wolf’s targeted and decisive actions toward this end.”

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This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 8:05 AM.