Coronavirus updates: Pa. governor says business closures will be enforced; cases up to 185
Gov. Tom Wolf announced a new order Thursday evening that "non-life-sustaining" businesses must close their physical locations to help stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
Earlier Thursday, Pennsylvania reported 52 new cases of the novel coronavirus Thursday, a 40% increase, bringing the state total to 185. The includes the first reported cases in Lebanon and Adams counties.
The jump in positive tests follows Wednesday's news of the state's first coronavirus-related death. The man was identified as Carmine Fusco, of Bath in Northampton County, according to the New York Times. His mother and older sister also succumbed to the virus.
"Pennsylvanians have a very important job right now: stay calm, stay home and stay safe. We have seen case counts continue to increase and the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home," Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said Thursday.
Wolf's new order aims to keep people home. The governor says his earlier emergency declaration gives him the power to order the closures and enforce them. Enforcement will start at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. The list of businesses affected is available online.
More positive tests have been expected with a higher of people being tested now. In Pennsylvania, for example, 670 people had tested negative as of Monday. By Thursday, that number went up to 1,608.
U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright said he is self-quarantining at his home in northeastern Pennsylvania for the next 14 days after interacting with a family friend who tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release.
U.S. officials are sounding the alarm, urging Americans to heed what federal, state and local officials are asking of them in order to curtail the spread and dampen the impact of the virus on the U.S. population. Congress passed an emergency aid package that President Donald Trump is expected to sign, and the Treasury unveiled a plan to make direct payments to Americans.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's worst-case-scenario is that about 160 million to 210 million Americans will be infected by December. The hope is that extreme measures of social distancing will flatten the curve of outbreak and keep medical services from being overwhelmed.
In other news Thursday:
► Lancaster General Hospital said a healthcare provider recently tested positive, after acquiring the virus in a community setting. The provider is in self-isolation at home.
"We have determined that some Lancaster General Hospital employees and patients were exposed to the provider while the provider was on duty at the hospital," the release states. "To ensure the safety of our other patients and staff, exposed employees have been given instructions for self-monitoring and on how to prevent others from potential exposure to the virus."
The statement says affected patients and their families have been notified. The hospital is going to begin daily temperature screenings at its facilities.
► The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission said Thursday afternoon that it will make limited restrooms and food items available inside all 17 service plazas starting Friday. Those restrooms will be open 24 hours beginning 7 a.m. Friday. Outdoor portable toilets will remain in place at the service plazas for about a week.
► The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has begun boarding up some of its now-closed wine and liquor stores, and advised beer distributors that they are free to remain open. The LCB said it is evaluating its roughly 600 state store locations on a case-by-case basis as a precaution. It has boarded up under two dozen stores, based on history of prior break-ins, the agency said.
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What do we know about Pa. coronavirus cases?
Here's how many cases each county has, according to figures released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as of March 18:
- Statewide total: 185
- Montgomery County: 47
- Philadelphia: 33
- Allegheny County: 16
- Monroe County: 15
- Delaware County: 14
- Bucks County: 12
- Cumberland County: 11
- Chester County: 10
- Northampton County: 5 (1 death)
- Pike County: 3
- Washington County: 3
- Beaver County: 2
- Lackawanna County: 2
- Lancaster County: 2
- Westmoreland County: 2
- York County: 2
- Adams County: 1
- Berks County: 1
- Lehigh County: 1
- Luzerne County: 1
- Wayne County: 1
- Lebanon County: 1
What are the symptoms of the coronavirus and what should you do?
According to the CDC, reported illnesses from COVID-19 have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death.
Fever, cough and shortness of breath might appear 2 to 14 days after you've been exposed to the virus.
If you think you've been exposed to the coronavirus and develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your primary healthcare provider immediately.
With further spread of the virus and disruptions to everyday life expected, officials remind residents to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
You should also cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow (not your hands), clean surfaces that are frequently touched (such as countertops, light switches and phones), and stay home if you are sick.
People are also asked not to attend large gatherings and to practice "social distancing."
There is currently neither a vaccine nor an approved treatment for the new, or novel, coronavirus.
While younger people may experience the illness as a bad cold with a fever, the concern is that older people and those who have additional medical conditions will develop a more severe form of COVID-19.
As the disease spreads widely in the population, that could lead to a high number of patients requiring hospitalization for pneumonia or acute lung problems that require the use of a ventilator to breathe.
USA Today and the Associated Press contributed to this article.