Centre County adds 124 COVID-19 cases, new test sites to open and other updates for Sept. 24

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Centre County adds 124 cases of COVID-19

Centre County reported 124 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, according to the state Department of Health, to bring the total to 2,202 (2,135 confirmed and 67 probable) since March 20. All but two of the new cases are confirmed. There have been 24,372 negative tests.

Two patients are hospitalized in Centre County due to COVID-19, according to the state dashboard.

The breakdown of Centre County cases by ZIP code is as follows, according to the Health Department:

• 16801 (State College): 1,367 confirmed (72 new cases), 28 probable
• 16802 (University Park): 304 (25 new cases), 1-4 probable
• 16803 (State College): 138 (10 new cases), 9 probable
• 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 86 (1 new case), 10 probable
• 16686 (Tyrone): 34, 1-4 probable
• 16866 (Philipsburg): 28 (2 new cases), 1-4 probable
• 16827 (Boalsburg): 27 (1 new case), 0 probable
• 16841 (Howard): 26, 1-4 probable
• 16870 (Port Matilda): 26 (1 new case), 1-4 probable
• 16875 (Spring Mills): 25, 0 probable
• 16828 (Centre Hall): 15, 1-4 probable
• 16822 (Beech Creek): 12, 0 probable
• 16851 (Lemont): 9, 0 probable
• 16666 (Osceola Mills): 8, 1-4 probable
• 16853 (Milesburg): 7, 0 probable
• 16844 (Julian): 6, 0 probable
• 16854 (Millheim): 6, 1-4 probable
• 16820 (Aaronsburg): 5, 1-4 probable
• 16845 (Karthaus): 5, 0 probable
• 16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 5, 0 probable
• 16877 (Warriors Mark): 5, 0 probable
• 16804, 16826, 16829, 16832, 16852, 16856, 16860, 16868, 16872, 16874, 16882: 1-4 cases each

The state does not provide 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.

Pennsylvania added 853 new cases to bring the state total to 153,397. There have been 1.8 million negative tests. The state reported 8,079 deaths, an increase of 17. No new deaths were reported in Centre County.

- by Matt Hymowitz

Rite Aid to open testing site in State College; Nittany mall location also opens Friday

The Rite Aid at 1536 N. Atherton St. in State College will offer no-charge COVID-19 drive-thru testing starting Friday. The site will use self-swab nasal tests and will be open 10 a.m..-8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m..-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Anyone 18 and older, including those who are not showing symptoms, is eligible for testing. Preregistration is required and is available at www.riteaid.com. Flu shots are also available at all Rite Aid pharmacies. in Pennsylvania.

Another no-cost testing site will also open Friday in the parking lot in front of the former Macy’s location at the Nittany Mall, the state Health Department announced last week. The site will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Oct. 1-3.

Up to 500 people can be tested per day at the Nittany Mall site, the DOH said. Testing will done on a first-come, first-served basis and no appointment is necessary. A photo ID or insurance card is required, and those without symptoms can be tested.

- by Matt Hymowitz

Penn State athletics reports 20 new positive COVID-19 results out of 830 tests

Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics released its 10th round of COVID-19 test results Wednesday, reporting 20 new positives out of 830 tests conducted from Sept. 12-18.

The Nittany Lions previously set single-round highs in their eighth and ninth rounds of testing. Last week, the department reported 50 new positives out of 859 tests in its ninth round of results. And on Sept. 9, Penn State announced it had paused team activities for “several programs” after its eighth round of testing revealed 48 new positives out of 920 tests.

- by Parth Upadhyaya

Leading infectious disease researchers to talk COVID-19 as part of Discovery Space event

Two infectious disease researchers are set to anchor an online, interactive discussion Thursday about the new coronavirus.

Discovery Space’s Night to Discover speaker series is scheduled to begin about 7 p.m. The event is free, but viewers are required to register.

- CDT staff reports

CATA plans service changes in October

The Centre Area Transportation Authority will temporarily end service on its commuter routes next month due to low ridership during the pandemic. As of Oct. 5, service will be halted on the A (Park Forest), B (Boalsburg), C (Houserville), F (Pine Grove), G (Grays Woods), S (Science Park), XB (Bellefonte) and XG (Pleasant Gap) routes.

Riders who rely on those routes are asked to contact CATA at 238-CATA, ext. 7500, to discuss their transportation needs.

Starting Oct. 5, CATAGo will provide service to Pleasant Gap from 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Friday. CATAGo already runs from 6 a.m.-11 p..m. Monday-Friday in Bellefonte and 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays in Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap. The added service will provide access to county services, the courthouse and the PennDOT driver’s license center where no other public transportation would be available.

There are no changes planned at this time to CATARide.

CATA made the announcement Wednesday.

- by Matt Hymowitz

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This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 12:32 PM.