Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 495 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 83,191

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., June 24, that there are 495 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 83,191. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

There are 6,515 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 54 new deaths. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

Locally in Beaver County we are up 4 cases to 634. 614 confirmed cases and 20 probables. 5465 people have tested negative and the county stands at 78.

“As we move closer to having the entire state in the green phase, we must remain committed to protecting against COVID-19,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Pennsylvania has been a model for the country on how to reopen effectively using a careful, measured approach. However, the virus has not gone away. Each of us has a responsibility to continue to protect ourselves, our loved ones and others by wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing and washing our hands frequently. Together we can protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our essential workers and our healthcare system.”

Mask wearing is required in all businesses in yellow and green phases of reopening. Consistent mask wearing, even in counties in the green phase, could have lasting benefits as a COVID-19 surge is possible this fall.

There are 632 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure, which are considered probable cases and not confirmed cases. There are 608,217 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Nearly 1% are ages 0-4;
• 1% are ages 5-12;
• 2% are ages 13-18;
• Nearly 7% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are ages 25-49;
• Nearly 25% are ages 50-64; and
• Nearly 28% are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 17,394 resident cases of COVID-19, and 3,103 cases among employees, for a total of 20,497 at 671 distinct facilities in 49 counties. Out of our total deaths, 4,467 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 6,303 of our total cases are in health care workers.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Currently, all 67 counties are in the yellow or green phase of reopening.

Statewide – The Wolf Administration has since noon, June 23:

• Provided the latest CMU metrics.
• Provided an update from Pennsylvania State Police on business closure enforcement actions.
• Reminded Pennsylvanians that masks are required and protect you from COVID-19.
• Thanked Pennsylvania’s food banks for helping those in need.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• 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 must go out for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Nate Wardle, Health, ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov

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Gov. Wolf: Masks Help Stop the Spread of COVID-19

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today noted that research confirms the importance of wearing masks to stop the spread of COVID-19 and that Pennsylvanians are required to wear masks when entering any business in all counties in both yellow and green phases of reopening.

“As most counties are in or will soon be in the green phase of reopening, mask-wearing is a vital measure to help stop the spread of COVID-19,” Gov. Wolf said. “Pennsylvania has emerged as a leader among states for reduced cases amid increased reopening and we want that to continue to keep people safe and healthy while returning to many of the activities we enjoyed before COVID.”

The mask requirement is part of Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel’s Levine’s order, “Directing Public Health Safety Measures for Businesses Permitted to Maintain In-person Operations,” which pertains to all counties regardless of the phase of reopening. The order requires businesses to enforce mask-wearing unless someone has an underlying health condition that prevents them from wearing a mask. Children two or younger are not required to wear masks.

According to a recent study in the Institute of Physics, wearing simple medical masks or improvised facial coverings reduces community exposures from asymptomatic, but unknowingly infectious, individuals.

The study concludes that while people may perceive them to be ineffective or burdensome to wear, “wearing some form of exhaled barrier (mask) out in public during pathogen outbreaks is an altruistic act serving not only as a form of enhanced cough or sneeze etiquette, but also to reduce the aerosols emitted from normal breathing or when talking. Without daily testing, nobody can be certain that they are not an asymptotic disease vector. Scientifically, this is a positive step towards helping combat the current COVID-19 pandemic.”

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams took to twitter on Sunday to advise that mask-wearing is contributing to and not infringing on freedom, tweeting in part, “Some feel face coverings infringe on their freedom of choice- but if more wear them, we’ll have MORE freedom to go out.”

In addition to mask wearing, Gov. Wolf and Sec. of Health Dr. Rachel Levine have advised that robust testing and contact tracing in green counties are keys to safe, phased reopening.

The state continues to increase testing and ramp up contact-tracing efforts. As of June 18 (the most recent data available), there are a total of 518 contact tracers, and a total of 4,161 contacts being monitored.

The Department of Health received a total of 89,350 test results in the past seven days, an average of 12,764 a day. The 30-day average of test results received is more than 13,934.

There were 2,763 total cases added to investigations for the week of June 12 through 18.

“Mask-wearing needs to be a part of our everyday routines,” Gov. Wolf said. “When you leave the house, grab your keys, your wallet and your mask. Mask-wearing has proven to be an important deterrent to the spread of the virus and keeping Pennsylvanians safe and healthy is the goal as we reopen and continue our mitigation efforts.”

The state’s business guidance outlines mask-wearing requirements and additional safety parameters for both employees and customers.

Read more on Gov. Wolf’s Process to Reopen PA here.

How to participate

A livestream for people with smart devices or computer access will be online at https://access.live/PAlabor. Those without internet access can listen by calling 1-833-380-0719, however access is limited so we ask that they be reserved for individuals who need them.

Participants will be able to ask questions live during the town hall. At the beginning of the event, the moderator will explain how to submit questions. To protect participants’ personal confidential information, specific questions about individual claims cannot be answered during the town hall.

Pennsylvania has implemented all of the new programs under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act:

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) – for self-employed, gig workers, contractors and others not normally eligible for UC.
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) – additional 13 weeks of benefits to people who exhaust their regular UC.
• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) – extra $600 per week for anyone receiving unemployment benefits.

Unemployment Benefits Statistics

Since mid-March, more than $18.3 billion in benefits has been paid to claimants:

• $9 billion from regular UC
• $7.6 billion from FPUC
• $1.6 billion from PUA
• $111 million from PEUC

Of the eligible claimants that applied for benefits between March 15 and May 23, and who filed for continued claims, 90.2 percent received payment as of June 22. 

Improving Customer Service

• L&I UC staff has worked more than 157,000 overtime hours since mid-March.
• UC service center staffing levels have increased 74 percent since March 15 with the hiring of new employees and reassigning of staff from other state offices/agencies:
  • On March 15, there were 775 employees supporting UC service center operations compared to the current total of 1,349.
• Nearly 90 new staff members completed their UC training yesterday and began taking calls from claimants today.
• Staff from other areas/agencies, as well as employees in PA CareerLink® offices, were also trained to respond to email inquiries and began assisting in this capacity last week.

Important Resources and Links

• L&I Press Releases
• L&I COVID-19 Guidance and Resources
• L&I COVID-19 Media Center
• Unemployment Press Briefing for June 22, 2020 (password is SjeeDT3q)

Recordings of prior public town halls are available here. Additional unemployment benefits information is available on L&I’s website, Facebook or Twitter.