Reopening updates: Centre County adds 7 new cases of COVID-19, and other updates for Aug. 19
We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date coronavirus news as Penn State and local schools prepare to reopen. Check back for updates.
Could Mount Nittany reach capacity in the fall over COVID-19? Here’s what the hospital said
Dr. Nirmal Joshi, Mount Nittany Health’s chief medical officer, understands the community’s concern over his hospital’s capacity, especially given the influx of Penn State students — but he tried to allay those fears in a recent interview, saying Centre County’s lone hospital is “well-equipped” to battle COVID-19 in the fall.
For Mount Nittany Medical Center to get to the point where it’s overwhelmed, he said, the process would be gradual enough that alarm bells would be sounded well before it reached a doomsday scenario.
“I don’t think we will be restricted by resources in a way that we don’t have ventilators or we don’t have an ICU,” Joshi told the Centre Daily Times. “There will be a lot happening around us, as opposed to within us.”
- by Josh Moyer
James Franklin: Penn State football had no positive COVID-19 results after 1st week of practice
Penn State football will not be happening this fall due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but it was through no fault of the program. The Nittany Lions had protocols in place that Penn State head coach James Franklin felt were working and said the entire organization — from coaches to players and everyone in between — yielded no positive results after it finished its first week of fall practice earlier this month.
“So many people worked so hard to make it work,” Franklin said to the media in a video conference Wednesday morning. “A lot of people sacrificed a lot of things to allow for the football season to happen. ... The challenge is — you work so hard to create this culture and this chemistry and building this organization that runs like a family. ... We’ve worked to build these habits and now we’re trying to break them all down. ... And it was working. And it was working really well.”
- by Jon Sauber
Centre County adds 7 new cases of COVID-19
Centre County added seven cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday to bring the total to 406 since March 20. Of that total, 362 cases are confirmed and 44 are probable. There have been 10,969 negative tests.
Pennsylvania reported 570 additional cases, which raised the state’s total to 126,149. Statewide, there have been 1.37 million negative tests.
The age breakdown of patients who have tested positive is:
- 1% are 0-4
- 1% 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
There are cases in 34 residents and 22 employees at seven long-term care facilities in Centre County. Statewide, there are cases in 20,458 residents and 4,298 employees at 901 facilities in 61 counties.
Across Pennsylvania, there have been 7,523 deaths, including 24 new fatalities. The state lists 11 deaths in Centre County. Eight of the county’s death have been in nursing/personal care homes.
The breakdown of confirmed Centre County cases by ZIP code is as follows, according to the DOH:
- 16801 (State College): 82
- 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 66
- 16803 (State College): 52
- 16866 (Philipsburg): 22
- 16875 (Spring Mills): 20
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 20
- 16841 (Howard): 20
- 16686 (Tyrone): 18
- 16827 (Boalsburg): 16
- 16822 (Beech Creek): 12
- 16828 (Centre Hall): 12
- 16853 (Milesburg): 6
- 16666 (Osceola Mills): 6
- 16854 (Millheim): 6
- 16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 5
- 16820 (Aaronsburg): 5
- 16844 (Julian): 5
- 16802, 16804, 16829, 16832, 16845, 16851, 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.
The state’s dashboard shows there are no patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Centre County.
- by Matt Hymowitz
In-person Pennsylvania Farm Show canceled over virus worries
The massive annual Pennsylvania Farm Show was canceled as an in-person event on Wednesday because of the pandemic, ending the prospect of hundreds of thousands of people converging on the Harrisburg complex in January.
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said the Jan. 9-15 event will be conducted virtually instead, with a theme of “cultivating tomorrow.”
- The Associated Press
Police: 1 arrested, 1 to surrender in theme park assault
Authorities say a New York City man has been arrested and a woman is expected to turn herself in to face charges in an assault on a teenage employee at a children’s theme park near Philadelphia earlier this month following a dispute over a requirement to wear masks due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Thirty-nine-year-old Troy McCoy is charged in Bucks County with aggravated and simple assault, criminal conspiracy and related counts in the Aug. 9 attack on the 17-year-old victim. Thirty-one-year-old Shakerra Bonds is charged with simple assault and criminal conspiracy.
- The Associated Press
Patton Township is considering a masking ordinance. What to know before risking a $300 fine
Those ignoring masking and social distancing guidelines could face steep fines as the Patton Township Board of Supervisors considers a temporary ordinance that would enforce health and safety restrictions within the community.
Much like the ordinance recently passed by the State College Borough Council, this would require a mask when in public, forbid long lines and cap gatherings in residences at 10 people. Those not following the ordinance could face a $300 fine from township police, health officials or other enforcement officers.
The drafted ordinance also resembles and reinforces the July order from Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine that expanded masking guidelines.
- by Marley Parish
State College Spikes host families reflect on a summer without their players
The cancellation of the 2020 minor league season left a hole in the fabric of the typical Centre County summer, as it meant no State College Spikes games for fans to attend.
But beyond the missed opportunities for eating Dippin’ Dots at the ballpark on a hot July night or watching postgame fireworks, the hearts of “host moms” like Joanne Broderick, Tara Shaffer and Michelle Spaide ached for another reason — the players.
- by Acacia Aster Broder
State College’s 2 movie theaters set to reopen. Here’s what you should know about safety, changes
For the past five months, Anthony Smith — the regional manager of State College’s two movie theaters — has openly wondered when the smell of buttered popcorn would again fill his lobbies while customers buzz about the new box-office hit.
He won’t have to wait much longer.
According to Smith, who oversees both College 9 and UEC 12, Centre County’s largest movie theaters will reopen Aug. 21 with new rules, limited showings — and a whole lot more cleaning supplies. Many theater properties around the U.S. plan to reopen around that time, and Smith wants to make sure his theaters are ready before studios ramp up their blockbuster movie releases by October.
- by Josh Moyer
Campus check-in
- Wake Forest all-conference wide receiver Sage Surratt has opted out of the coming season to prepare for the NFL draft amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- The Georgia Bulldogs are planning to have some fans for their football games played between the hedges.
Appalachian State has paused football practices after reporting a coronavirus cluster involving the team.
Clemson will start its home season against Citadel on Sept. 12, filling the lone non-conference spot on its COVID-19 revamped schedule.
Notre Dame canceled its Wednesday football practice and might take Thursday off as well in response to the school’s decision to go to online classes because of a coronavirus outbreak on campus.
North Carolina has immediately suspended athletics activities for all sports teams for at least 24 hours due to a “continued upward trend in positive COVID-19 tests on campus.”
Business updates
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This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 10:07 AM.