DOH: 207 new COVID-19 cases in Pa; one additional case in Fayette County
The number of Pennsylvanians who have tested positive for COVID-19 has reached 851, state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced Tuesday.
Seven people in the state have died as a result of this virus, she said.
A second person in Fayette County has also tested positive for COVID-19, according to state Department of Health records.
And while it was not included in the DOH counts, one Greene County case was also reported.
Centerville Clinics indicated Tuesday that a Greene resident tested positive at the respiratory clinic at its Uniontown Family Doctors location. The state breakdown of patients goes by where the patient lives, not where they were diagnosed, Levine has said.
Centerville Clinics started testing for COVID-19 on March 11 and noted more than 500 patients have been screened and another 150 tested for the coronavirus.
During her briefing, Levine reiterated an 鈥渦rgent request鈥� for blood donation at area centers, including the American Red Cross.
鈥淏lood donation centers are taking proper precautions to protect anyone who is donating blood,鈥� she said. 鈥淒onations of platelets, blood and plasma 鈥� all the different constituents of blood donations 鈥� are needed.鈥�
Levine also encouraged people to contact local food banks.
Levine commented on treatment space for patients in response to a question.
鈥淲e are working very carefully with our hospitals and health systems, with the health care coalitions in each agency 鈥� to prepare for this surge,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have to make sure that we have enough space. We have to make sure that we have the number of beds for the whole continuum of care.鈥�
Statistics in nearby counties include 58 cases in Allegheny as of Tuesday, with two deaths; nine cases in Washington County; and 11 cases in Westmoreland County. Somerset County was among the newest counties to confirm a positive case of COVID-19, which has been detected in 40 of the state鈥檚 67 counties.
Levine said hospitals could expand their numbers of beds without receiving permission from the DOH. She also said the department was, among other things, 鈥渨orking to repurpose ambulatory surgical facilities so that they can take care of less acute patients.鈥�
She said the department was also looking into hotels as possible spaces for 鈥減ost-acute patients鈥� to recover.
Levine also, in response to a question, spoke to the issue of people who are struggling to find medicines for their chronic conditions because people believe, without scientific evidence, that those medicines can treat COVID-19.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working with the pharmacists to try to make sure that patients who are using these medications for accepted FDA uses have access,鈥� she said.
She cited chloroquine.
鈥淚t is not an accepted standard of care (for COVID-19),鈥� she said. She added that it is critical 鈥渢hat the right medicines be determined to treat COVID-19 at the right dose, at the right time.鈥�