Reopening updates: Centre County adds 2 cases of COVID-19, and other updates for Aug. 26
We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date coronavirus news as Penn State and local schools reopen. Check back for updates.
Penn State athletics reports 1 new positive COVID-19 result out of 261 tests
Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics released its sixth round of COVID-19 test results Wednesday with one new positive out of 261 new results, while nine tests are pending.
The Nittany Lions have had 10 total positives out of 1,051 tests through their first six rounds of testing. Penn State began testing athletes upon their return to campus June 8 and released the first round of results July 1.
The first eight positive tests came in the third round of announced results on July 29, and the last two positives have come in the past two rounds.
- by Parth Upadhyaya
Centre County adds 2 cases of COVID-19
Two new cases of coronavirus were reported Wednesday in Centre County to bring the total to 429 since the first case was reported March 20. Of that number, 383 cases are confirmed and 46 are probable. There have been 12,135 negative tests.
With 501 new positives, Pennsylvania has reached 130,536 cases. There have been 1.46 million negative tests and an estimated recovery rate of 81%.
The age breakdown of patients who have tested positive is:
- 1% are 0-4
- Nearly 2% are 5-12
- Nearly 4% are 13-18
- Nearly 10% are 19-24
- Nearly 38% are 25-49
- Nearly 23% are 50-64
- Nearly 24% are 65 or older
Statewide, there have been 7,624 deaths, including 19 new fatalities. There have been 11 Centre County deaths, according to the state Department of Health.
“The mitigation efforts in place now are essential as the new school year is upon us and we work to ensure our children can get back to learning,” Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said in a statement. “Wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and following the requirements set forth in the orders for bars and restaurants, gatherings and telework will help keep our case counts low.”
The state’s dashboard shows there are no patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Centre County.
The breakdown of confirmed Centre County cases by ZIP code is as follows, according to the DOH:
- 16801 (State College): 89
- 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 68
- 16803 (State College): 56
- 16686 (Tyrone): 26
- 16866 (Philipsburg): 24
- 16875 (Spring Mills): 22
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 20
- 16841 (Howard): 20
- 16827 (Boalsburg): 16
- 16822 (Beech Creek): 12
- 16828 (Centre Hall): 12
- 16666 (Osceola Mills): 7
- 16853 (Milesburg): 7
- 16854 (Millheim): 6
- 16844 (Julian): 6
- 16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 5
- 16820 (Aaronsburg): 5
- 16851 (Lemont): 5
- 16802, 16804, 16829, 16832, 16845, 16852, 16860, 16868, 16872, 16874, 16877, 16882: 1-4 cases each
The 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 Matt Hymowitz
Penn State announces more details of symptomatic COVID-19 testing, including rapid-turnaround tests
Penn State announced more details to its symptomatic COVID-19 testing plan Tuesday, confirming a new partnership with Quest Diagnostics while also reporting it recently installed new equipment that should allow for faster test results.
According to a spokesperson, who responded to several inquiries from the Centre Daily Times, University Health Services installed — “and is now validating” — new Abbott testing equipment that will allow the university to rapidly sample an average of at least 100 symptomatic students per day through a nasal test, “depending on availability of test kits.”
Results should typically be available in about an hour, the spokesperson said.
-by Josh Moyer
Here’s what to know about casting your vote — in-person, by mail or absentee — in Centre County
The November general election is less than 10 weeks away.
In preparation, officials are working to ensure poll workers and voters are well-prepared for the election — scheduled for Nov. 3 — amid the COVID-19 pandemic and despite controversy and questions surrounding the United States Postal Service.
Out of 108,871 total registered voters in Centre County, the Elections and Voter Registration Office has received about 20,000 vote-by-mail applications, according to Commissioner Michael Pipe. Local elections staff has processed 14,431 of those applications, according to Director Joyce McKinley.
- by Marley Parish
Campus check-in
- Vanderbilt’s football team is back at practice five days after first canceling, then pausing workouts, because of positive COVID-19 tests.
- North Carolina State’s season-opener at Virginia Tech was postponed for two weeks Wednesday because of a cluster of COVID-19 cases among Wolfpack athletes. The delay comes two days after N.C. State paused all athletic activities.
North Carolina State told students remaining in university housing to go home Wednesday, acknowledging a rising number of coronavirus clusters occurring in both on-campus and off-campus housing.
Kansas State University plans to install in dorm rooms a device that emits dry hydrogen peroxide to lower the risk of students being infected with COVID-19.
Back to school
Business updates
Things to do
The WPSU documentary “Speaking Grief” will be available for free and on demand starting Sunday on WPSU’s YouTube page, the Speaking Grief website and the PBS Video app.
Community outreach/appreciation
Food distribution
This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 9:24 AM.