HARRISBURG, Pa. - State health officials say Pennsylvania has more than 50,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus. But the numbers of new infections and deaths appear to be trending down. Less than 900 new cases were reported today. The total death count is nearing 2,500.
Between Lehigh and Northampton Counties there are more than 1,100 cases of the virus in 38 facilities. And over a hundred deaths.
Some counties have expressed interest in having the numbers at those facilities be removed from their total case counts, in hopes those counties can reopen sooner. Health secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said the state won’t seperate those numbers.
“We are all intertwined — one section of our community such as a nursing home or personal care home impacts the general community and the community impacts that facility — the staff go back and forth,” said Levine.
Levine said the state will be looking at metrics and new data modeling from Carnegie Mellon University this week, to see what additional areas of the state can possibly begin to reopen.
Twenty-four counties in northwest and north-central parts of the state will be allowed to resume some in-person business with social distancing Friday. Currently, there is no plan to lift stay at home orders in the Lehigh Valley.