To ensure that Pennsylvanians have opportunities to safely enjoy outdoor recreation as a way to maintain positive physical and mental health, and in keeping with the commonwealth’s stay-at-home orders to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Governor Tom Wolf today announced that the Wolf Administration is lifting some restrictions on businesses related to certain outdoor activities.
Starting Friday, May 1, golf courses, marinas, guided fishing trips and privately owned campgrounds may reopen statewide and are required to follow updated life-sustaining business guidance and FAQ issued by the Wolf Administration to include specifics for how these outdoor recreational industries can resume activities while prioritizing public health and safety. Campgrounds in state parks will remain closed through Thursday, May 14.
“Pennsylvanians have remained resilient throughout this COVID-19 crisis, and as we successfully continue to flatten the curve to protect our physical health, it is critical that we also focus on our physical and mental health during these extraordinary times. As the weather warms and daylight lengthens, enjoying time outdoors is an important way to manage stress,” Wolf said. “As we start to take measured, limited steps to reopen our commonwealth, reopening these industries will help to rebuild our economy and strengthen our mental health.”
Pennsylvania added 1,214 new cases of the coronavirus to its totals and 119 new deaths on Tuesday.
According to information released on Pa. Department of Health’s website, there are currently 43,264 confirmed cases, and 1,716 deaths, up 119 from the previous day.
Dauphin County reported 24 new positive cases on Tuesday, while six new positive tests were added in Schuylkill County and two more in Northumberland County, bringing Dauphin’s total to 553 cases with 20 deaths, Schuylkill up to 330 cases with five deaths, and Northumberland County at 92 confirmed cases.
In comparison, Philadelphia County, the hot spot of the state, added 243 cases and two deaths, putting their totals at 11,604 positive cases and 276 deaths.
Officials say that the public’s effort on social distancing and wearing masks must continue to get things back to normal as the state looms on a May 8 date to possibly begin repopening parts of the state through the Governor’s three-tiered plan.
“As we start to see the number of new COVID-19 cases continually change across the state that does not mean we can stop practicing social distancing,” Levine said. “We must continue to stay home to protect ourselves, our families and our community. If you must go out, please make as few trips as possible and wear a mask to protect not only yourself, but others. We need all Pennsylvanians to continue to heed these efforts to protect our vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our health care workers and frontline responders.”
As far as negative tests for each county, Dauphin is listed as having 3,322 negative tests while Schuylkill reported 1,868 negative tests and 495 in Northumberland County.
In nursing home and long-term care facilities, Dauphin County is listed in the table having three facilities, 88 cases among residents (up nine from yesterday), 13 cases among employees and 12 deaths. Schuylkill County has two positive cases in two nursing homes, one resident and one employee, and Northumberland County now has four residents and two employees at one facility All total, 452 facilities are reporting 7,360 cases among residents and 960 among employees, and have accounted for 1,089 of Pennsylvania’s 1,716 deaths attributed to the coronavirus.
The state also updated numbers of age ranges of the positive cases and hospitalizations to date. Currently 2,779 Pennsylvania residents are hospitalized with the virus and its complications, down 14 from yesterday
The breakdown is as follows:
Positive cases
Ages 0-4, <1%; 5-12, <1%; 13-18, 1%; 19-24, 6%; 25-49, 38%; 50-64, 27%, 65+, 26%
Hospitalizations
Ages 0-29, 2%; 30-49, 5%; 50-64, 10%; 65-79, 20%; 80+, 20%
The counties affected and the number of confirmed cases, with the number of deaths in parentheses, are:
Adams-124 (1), Allegheny-1,235 (87), Armstrong-50 (2), Beaver-388 (59), Bedford-22 (1), Berks-2,605 (91), Blair-21, Bradford-28 (2), Bucks-2,643 (164), Butler-174 (6), Cambria-22 (1), Cameron-1 Carbon-169 (13), Centre-93 (1), Chester-1,256 (85), Clarion-23 (1), Clearfield-11, Clinton-29, Columbia-279 (8), Crawford-19, Cumberland-296 (10), Dauphin-553 (20), Delaware-3,463 (161), Elk-3, Erie-86 (2), Fayette-79 (4), Forest-7, Franklin-237 (4), Fulton-3, Greene-26, Huntingdon-26, Indiana-62 (4), Jefferson-4, Juniata-81, Lackawanna-854 (71), Lancaster-1,678 (78), Lawrence-63 (5), Lebanon-635 (8), Lehigh-2,685 (64), Luzerne-2,078 (74), Lycoming-58, McKean-5, Mercer-66 (1), Mifflin-34, Monroe-1,097 (48), Montgomery-4,043 (249), Montour-47, Northampton-1,970 (55), Northumberland-92, Perry-27 (1), Philadelphia-11,604 (276), Pike-362 (12), Potter-4, Schuylkill-330 (5), Snyder-33 (1), Somerset-26, Sullivan-1, Susquehanna-82 (4), Tioga-14 (1), Union-33, Venango-7, Warren-1 (0), Washington-109 (2), Wayne-93 (3), Westmoreland-383 (20), Wyoming-18 (2), York-614 (9).
As of noon April 28, there have been 165,824 negative tests for the coronavirus, an increase of 4,452 over the day before.
What is coronavirus?
According to the Pa. Department of Health, coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common throughout the world. These viruses can live in animals and at times, evolve and infect people before spreading through human to human contact.
Human coronaviruses are spread just like the common cold or the flu — either through the air through coughing or sneezing, through close personal contact like touching or shaking hands, or by touching an object or surface with the virus on it.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. The symptoms can appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after a person is exposed to the illness. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to severe illness and death. As of April 25, the U.S. Center for Disease Control reports there have been 928,619 cases of the Coronavirus reported in the U.S. with 52,459 deaths.
What can you do?
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
Clean surfaces frequently.
Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell. If you need to go out and will be around other people, wear a mask.
The Pa. Department of Health offers these guidelines as the COVID-19 crisis continues.
Stay home as much as possible. Try to get groceries once per week instead of daily. Freedom of travel remains, but please refrain from non-essential travel. Essential travel includes things like commuting to an essential job, picking up supplies like groceries and medicine, and checking on family and pets in other households. Do not host or attend gatherings.