Reopening updates: Centre County reports 1 new case of COVID-19, and other updates for June 24
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.
DOH reports 1 new case of COVID-19 in Centre County
Centre County added one new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, bringing its total to 196 since the state began keeping count.
The DOH reported 11 new cases in Centre County on Tuesday, the county’s largest single-day total since April 7. Those cases are all still included in Centre County’s total. Of the county’s 196 total cases, 182 are confirmed and 14 probable, according to the DOH.
Statewide, the DOH reported 495 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 83,191. There were also 57 new deaths attributed to COVID-19, for a total of 6,518. Centre County’s deaths remain at six, though the county-by-county death data was last updated Tuesday afternoon.
In Centre County, here’s the breakdown by ZIP code (those without cases are not listed):
- 16823 (Bellefonte, Milesburg and Pleasant Gap): 42
- 16801 (State College): 40
16803 (State College): 39
16827 (Boalsburg): 13 (one new case)
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 9
- 16686 (Tyrone): 7
- 16822 (Beech Creek): 6
- 16841 (Howard): 6 (one new case)
- 16666, 16820, 16828, 16829, 16844, 16845, 16852, 16860, 16865, 16866, 16872, 16875: 1-4 cases each (The state does not give specific numbers when there are fewer than five cases to protect patient privacy.)
- by Lauren Muthler
Another Centre County pool is set to reopen this week. Here’s what to know before going
After COVID-19 and water issues delayed its summer season, the Mountain Top Pool in Snow Shoe is set to open Thursday.
The pool announced the facility will be open to the public in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Though no health regulations were listed, an earlier post states that the facility will implement social distancing guidelines and check individuals’ temperature before entrance to mitigate the spread of germs.
Jenn Nastase, Mountain Top Area Pool Association president, did not immediately return requests for comment.
Due to school closures and the pandemic, the Mountain Top Pool bus program will not operate this summer, according to a social media post.
- by Marley Parish
Penn State plans virtual commencement ceremony for summer graduates
Penn State’s class of 2020 summer graduates will be recognized in a virtual commencement ceremony, the university announced Wednesday.
In accordance with public health guidelines, Penn State will once again hold a virtual graduation ceremony amid the pandemic. Summer graduates will be recognized at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. When permitted, Penn State said graduates and their families will be invited back to campus to celebrate in person.
“I am extremely proud of our students and all that they have accomplished, especially through the ongoing pandemic. Their resilience and flexibility is notable and signals characteristics of those who can face adversity with success,” Penn State President Eric Barron said in a statement. “While I wish we could celebrate together in person in August, that is not in the best interests of the health and safety of our communities. Gathering first virtually provides the opportunity every student deserves to celebrate their personal milestone at this time with their families, friends and the university community.”
- by Marley Parish
Nursing homes continue to be hit hard by coronavirus deaths
Confirmed coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania now exceed 83,000, while there are 54 new reports of coronavirus-related deaths, many if not all of them who were residents of nursing homes or personal care homes, the state Department of Health said Wednesday.
The department reported 495 new infections. The 54 new deaths brings the statewide total to 6,515.
The department’s death toll for nursing homes or personal care homes rose by 57 on Wednesday as the agency reconciles information it has gathered from various sources in recent days, it said. The total death toll in those facilities is now 4,467, or nearly 70% of Pennsylvania’s total deaths attributed to the coronavirus outbreak.
- Associated Press
Some Penn State football players are working out at State High, kicker confirms
Penn State football players may not be able to work out with a ball on the university’s campus, but they’ve found another location to put time in at before the season starts.
Several Nittany Lions have been working out at the South Track Field behind State College Area High School since they’ve returned to campus.
The team is only permitted to lift weights or run at Penn State’s Holuba Hall as part of the athletic department’s phased return to campus in accordance with NCAA rules.
- by Jon Sauber
Not all Penn State football players planning to return to campus, coach James Franklin says
Penn State football has “a number of players” who have decided not to come back to Happy Valley during the Nittany Lions’ phased return to campus, according to head coach James Franklin.
Franklin revealed the information in an appearance on “REAL Sports With Bryant Gumbel” that aired Tuesday night on HBO.
“They have that right,” Franklin said on the show. “There’s no doubt about it. ... We can’t take away all risk.”
- by Jon Sauber
Penn State Athletics delays student ticket sales for 2020 football season
Students will have to wait for a chance to buy student tickets to watch Penn State football this season.
The university’s athletic department sent an email to students announcing a delay in the sale of student tickets for the 2020 season until “final decisions are made.”
Student news publications The Daily Collegian and Onward State first reported the decision.
“As always, the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, fans and community will be our top priority,” the email reportedly said. “Please do your part by following health and safety guidelines. We ask for your continued patience and understanding as we develop our plan for the fall. Once we have greater clarity, we will communicate via email with more details about our fall season.”
- by Jon Sauber
Missing the movies? Pop-up drive-in coming to Bellefonte this weekend
A new pop-up event developed by Bellefonte business owner Kevin Lloyd aims to fill a void in weekend events during the pandemic while also helping those in the community facing food insecurity.
This weekend, Bellefonte will host its first ever drive-in movie screening at the Armory grounds, located at 1018-B Zion Road, across from the high school. A screening of “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” will begin at dusk — around 9:15 p.m. — Friday and Saturday. Gates will open at 6 p.m., and the cost is $10 per vehicle; only 100 cars will be permitted.
All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the YMCA’s anti-hunger program, Lloyd, co-owner and product manager of Big Spring Spirits, said.
- by Marley Parish
Penn State
- A new study from Penn State estimates that the number of early COVID-19 cases in the U.S. may have been more than 80 times greater and doubled nearly twice as fast as originally believed. Researchers estimated the detection rate of symptomatic COVID-19 cases using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s influenza-like illnesses (ILI) surveillance data over a three week period in March 2020. The researchers found that the excess ILI showed a nearly perfect correlation with the spread of COVID-19 around the country. The data corresponded to more than 8.7 million new cases during the last three weeks of March, compared to the roughly 100,000 cases that were officially reported during the same time period. “At first, I couldn’t believe our estimates were correct,” said Justin Silverman, assistant professor in Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology and Department of Medicine. “But we realized that deaths across the U.S. had been doubling every three days and that our estimate of the infection rate was consistent with three-day doubling since the first observed case was reported in Washington state on Jan. 15.” The findings were published Monday in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Campus check-in
- The University of Connecticut is eliminating four athletic teams as it deals with an expected budget deficit driven by issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. UConn President Thomas Katsouleas told the school’s board of trustees Wednesday that the school will reduce the number of sports it supports from 24 to 20, eliminating its men’s cross-country, men’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis and women’s rowing teams.
Navy football coach Ken Niumatalolo remains optimistic that the Midshipmen won’t be playing in an empty stadium in the season opener at home against Notre Dame. The longest continuous intersectional rivalry in the country was moved from Ireland to Annapolis because of COVID-19 and is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 5.
The University of Northern Colorado will discontinue the men’s and women’s tennis programs as part of a cost-saving effort due to budget shortfalls created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The school located in Greeley, Colorado, will now sponsor 17 intercollegiate athletic programs.
- The Associated Press reports that four-year colleges have eliminated 126 sports programs because of budget problems blamed on the coronavirus outbreak. The hardest-hit sport was tennis, with cuts to eight men’s programs and seven women’s programs.
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This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 10:55 AM.