COVID-19 cases detected in Allegheny County
Dr. John Williams of UPMC shows the type of swab to be used for testing.
Pictured is Dr. Don Yealy, chairman of emergency medicine at UPMC.
From left, UPMC doctors Alan Wells, Donald Yealy and John Williams prepare to respond to questions during a Saturday update on the coronavirus situation.
Two cases of COVID-19 were detected in Allegheny County, state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced Saturday.
The cases bring the statewide total of positive tests to 47, including six confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection.
A statement from Allegheny Health Network also noted the two cases, explaining that the patients had been evaluated in a Pittsburgh hospital: 鈥淭wo adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 were evaluated in the emergency department of AHN West Penn Hospital on Friday, March 13, 2020, and subsequently discharged home for quarantine.鈥�
During the briefing, state epidemiologist Dr. Sharon Watkins said each of the Allegheny cases involved traveling and was connected to a 鈥渒nown cause鈥� that led to the contraction of illness.
Gov. Tom Wolf noted earlier in the presentation that 鈥渁ggressive mitigation efforts鈥� in Delaware and Montgomery counties would now be applied to Chester and Bucks counties, as well. He said the moves were part of an effort to 鈥渇latten the curve鈥� of COVID-19鈥檚 spread.
Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera, speaking about the planned two-week closure of Pennsylvania schools, addressed concerns about schools鈥� abilities to meet day and hour requirements.
鈥�(The Pennsylvania Department of Education) will not penalize districts or schools that fail to meet the minimum 180-day or hours requirements as a result of the COVID-19 response efforts,鈥� he said, adding that the department would provide a 鈥渟implified form鈥� for districts to report 鈥渟hortfalls in days or hours.鈥�
Rivera also acknowledged questions people harbored regarding school meals 鈥� and whether they will continue to be available during the closure.
鈥淧ennsylvania has sought and received approval from the federal government to allow schools the option to distribute meals at no cost while schools are closed,鈥� he said. 鈥淒istricts and schools that want to act on this federal approval must first apply to PDE. We have staff working throughout the weekend and around the clock to expedite approvals.鈥�
Earlier in the day, officials at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center had developed a test for the novel coronavirus.
Dr. Alan Wells, medical director of the UPMC Clinical Laboratories, said the test will be used initially 鈥渇or select symptomatic cases as we work to rapidly increase capacity at our central lab.鈥�
Dr. Donald Yealy, chair of emergency medicine at UPMC, noted the intense need for testing capacity throughout the country.
鈥淎s we鈥檙e all aware, the testing capabilities for the COVID-19 illness within the United States were both delayed and limited,鈥� he said.
Yealy said the new testing can lift some of the burden from other health providers and ease the concerns of patients by delivering results in 鈥渉ours not days.鈥�