Monday’s updated numbers on new cases of the Covid-19 Corona virus in Pennsylvania was encouraging as the amount dropped below 1,000 for the first time in a while.
According to information released on Pa. Department of Health’s website, there are currently 33,232 confirmed cases, a increase of 984 cases in 24 hours, the first time the number dipped below 1,000 since the beginning April.
Dauphin County reported 18 new positive cases on Monday, while six new positive tests were added in Schuylkill and Northumberland County, bringing Dauphin’s total to 386 cases with nine deaths, Schuylkill up to 267 cases with five deaths, and Northumberland County at 73 confirmed cases.
Philadelphia County, the hot spot of the state, reported 274 new cases, bringing their total over the 9,000-case mark since the outbreak began.
While optimistic, officials say that the public’s effort on social distancing and wearing masks must continue to get things back to normal.
“As we start to see the number of new COVID-19 cases decrease across the state that does not mean we can stop practicing social distancing,” Sec. of Health Dr. Rachel 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 2,396 negative tests while Schuylkill reported 1,473 negative tests and 267 in Northumberland County.
In nursing home and long-term care facilities, Dauphin County is listed in the table having three facilities, 54 cases among residents (five up from yesterday), four cases among employees and two deaths. Schuylkill County has one positive case in a single nursing home. All total, 4,698 cases are reported among residents and 504 among employees, and have accounted for 682 of Pennsylvania’s 1,204 deaths attributed to the coronavirus.
The state also updated numbers of age ranges of the positive cases and hospitalizations to date. Currently 2,702 Pennsylvania residents are hospitalized with the virus and its complications.
The breakdown is as follows:
Positive cases
Ages 0-4, <1%; 5-12, <1%; 13-18, 1%; 19-24, 6%; 25-49, 39%; 50-64, 28%, 65+, 24%
Hospitalizations
Ages 0-29, 2%; 30-49, 5%; 50-64, 9%; 65-79, 19%; 80+, 20%
The counties affected and the number of confirmed cases, with the number of deaths in parentheses, are:
Adams-85 (1), Allegheny-1042 (55), Armstrong-38 (2), Beaver-298 (36), Bedford-15 (1), Berks-1,945 (74), Blair-14, Bradford-25 (1), Bucks-1,812 (90), Butler-161 (5), Cambria-19 (1), Cameron-1 Carbon-144 (9), Centre-73 (1), Chester-883 (44), Clarion-18 (1), Clearfield-11, Clinton-11, Columbia-208 (7), Crawford-16, Cumberland-186 (4), Dauphin-386 (9), Delaware-2,484 (99), Elk-2, Erie-60, Fayette-67 (3), Forest-7, Franklin-115, Fulton-2, Greene-25, Huntingdon-13, Indiana-53 (2), Jefferson-3, Juniata-72, Lackawanna-646 (41), Lancaster-1,236 (66), Lawrence-59 (5), Lebanon-502 (5), Lehigh-2,245 (33), Luzerne-1,767 (36), Lycoming-40, McKean-4, Mercer-59 (1), Mifflin-20, Monroe-970 (39), Montgomery-3,040 (184), Montour-48, Northampton-1,469 (36), Northumberland-73, Perry-20 (1), Philadelphia-9,038 (262), Pike-304 (9), Potter-4, Schuylkill-267 (5), Snyder-28 (1), Somerset-19, Sullivan-1, Susquehanna-66 (4), Tioga-14 (1), Union-28, Venango-6, Warren-1, Washington-83 (2), Wayne-85 (3), Westmoreland-286 (16), Wyoming-17 (1), York-493 (6).
As of noon April 20, there have been 129,720 negative tests for the coronavirus, an increase of 3,150 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 19, the U.S. Center for Disease Control reports there have been 746,625 cases of the Coronavirus reported in the U.S. with 39,083 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.