(Photo: Office of the Governor)
Pennsylvania now has 22 positive cases of COVID-19 coronavirus.
On Thursday, state health officials confirmed the first presumed positive cases of coronavirus in Northampton and Pike counties.
In a press briefing, Gov. Tom Wolf and Health Secretary Rachel Levine said the person from Pike County came into contact with a COVID-19 positive person from another state. They’re in isolation at their home.
Coronavirus in Pennsylvania
County breakdown of positive cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in Pennsylvania (as of March 19, 12:00 a.m.)| Pennsylvania | Positive cases | First reported |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery | 42 | March 7, 2020 |
| Philadelphia | 17 | March 10, 2020 |
| Delaware | 14 | March 6, 2020 |
| Allegheny | 11 | March 14, 2020 |
| Cumberland | 10 | March 13, 2020 |
| Bucks | 9 | March 11, 2020 |
| Chester | 9 | March 13, 2020 |
| Monroe | 7 | March 9, 2020 |
| Beaver | 2 | March 17, 2020 |
| Pike | 2 | March 12, 2020 |
| Washington | 2 | March 13, 2020 |
| York | 2 | March 18, 2020 |
| Berks | 1 | March 18, 2020 |
| Lackawanna | 1 | March 18, 2020 |
| Lehigh | 1 | March 15, 2020 |
| Luzerne | 1 | March 15, 2020 |
| Northampton | 1 | March 12, 2020 |
| Wayne | 1 | March 6, 2020 |
| TOTAL CONFIRMED POSITIVE | 133 |
Today, 6 new presumed positive cases of COVID-19 coronavirus were diagnosed in Pennsylvania.
Coronavirus in Pennsylvania
| Date | COVID-19 + cases |
|---|---|
| March 6 | 2 |
| March 7 | 2 |
| March 8 | 2 |
| March 9 | 4 |
| March 10 | 2 |
| March 11 | 4 |
| March 12 | 6 |
| March 13 | 19 |
| TOTAL | 41 |
Pennsylvania at 22 Coronavirus Cases, Governor Discourages Public Gatherings
At the same conference, Gov. Wolf also urged all Pennsylvanians to avoid large public gatherings. That announcement is likely to have a major impact on businesses across the Commonwealth, including here in Schuylkill County.
Wolf described a large gathering as something like a special event or conference, where 250 or more people might be in attendance. The governor also discouraged people from going to places like movie theaters, fitness centers and gyms, as well as shopping malls.
Wolf also urged religious leaders in Pennsylvania to consider public safety in regard to regular services at their places of worship.
Visitors have been banned from state correctional facilities and military veterans homes.
The state has imposed more strict measures in Montgomery County, specifically, where a majority of the COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania have been identified.
Wolf says these are “mitigation methods” toward preventing the spread of the deadly pandemic virus. Outside of Montgomery County, presumed positive cases of COVID-19 are isolated, just 1 or 2 per county, mostly.
Sec. Levine confirmed at today’s press briefing, “We have not seen sustained community spread.”
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