Mar 24, 2020 4 min read

The death toll from coronavirus continued to rise in Pennsylvania Tuesday, including a second death in Allegheny County, health departments reported, and Greene County recorded its first case.

The death in Allegheny involved a woman in her 70s whose case was unknown to county officials until after medics responded to a 911 call wearing personal protective equipment, said county spokeswoman Aime Downs.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of this individual on their loss,” health department Director Debra Bogen stated in a news release.

Bogen said the victim had no recent travel, but did have other medical problems that may have delayed recognition of COVID-19.

Members of her family were self-isolating. She was not hospitalized at the time of her death, and the medical examiner’s office was investigating the case.

The number of statewide cases increased by 207 overnight, taking the total number of them to 851, affecting 40 counties and including four new deaths, the state Health Department said.

“We expect to see these numbers to continue to increase every day, state Health Department Secretary Rachel Levine said during a livestream update on the illness Tuesday afternoon. “It remains a public health crisis.”

Levine said there isn’t a treatment for COVID-19 other than drinking fluids, taking acetaminophen for fever, staying at home and resting.

She also said it’s impossible to predict a month out whether or not the danger has passed.

“We’re going to take this day by day, week by week,” Levine said.

Centerville Clinics said Tuesday that it registered its first positive COVID-79 case involving a Greene County resident who was tested at its Uniontown Family Doctors in neighboring Fayette County.

Barry Niccolai, the clinic’s executive director, indicated the patient and staff were notified, and that it’s following all applicable protocols related to COVID-19, he stated in a social media post.

“This was inevitable and should not be cause for panic,” said Sarah A. Penich, Greene’s assistant chief clerk.

Greene County office buildings are closed to the public. All normal county functions will continue with emphasis on conducting business via e-mail, telephone, or regular mail, Penich said.

Allegheny said it had 58 cases of the virus overnight and that six of those patients were hospitalized. The county was among eight in the state that were under a stay-home order by Gov. Tom Wolf in stepped-up efforts Monday to slow the spread of the virus.

Wolf updated his stay-home order Tuesday to also include Erie County, beginning at 8 p.m. that day and continuing to April 6, setting limits on when people could leave their homes. Those in life-sustaining jobs were allowed to go out, and trips to grocery stores, pharmacies and health-care providers were among the reasons the order could be waived.

In addition to Allegheny, Wolf’s stay-home order also remained Tuesday in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, areas where the virus was spreading in communities.

The other deaths were in Lackawanna, Monroe, Montgomery and Northampton counties.

Washington County saw two new cases of the virus, taking its total to nine Tuesday. Westmoreland County had 11 cases of COVID-19 as of that morning, the state said.

Washington Hospital reported Tuesday two positive cases of COVID-19 that were detected through its outpatient testing sites.

Hospital spokeswoman Stephanie Wagoner said the patients followed appropriate procedures of obtaining a prescription from their primary care provider and were tested at one of the WHS drive-up testing sites.

At the site, staff members walk out to the patient’s vehicle and administer the test, so the patient does not enter a WHS lab facility. The patients were directed to go home and self-isolate until their results came in, Wagoner said.

Wagoner said there have not yet been any confirmed cases inside the hospital in Washington or its facility in Greene County.

However, Washington Hospital, like other Pittsburgh area hospitals, has suspected patients. Wagoner said those patients are confined to specific units to reduce the exposure to staff and other patients, and to conserve PPE. The patients are awaiting test results.

Meanwhile, 8,643 people who have been tested for COVID-19 had negative results, Levine said.

She said Pennsylvanians have been asking what they can do to help, and she put out an urgent request for blood donations through the American Red Cross. She also said donations were needed at food banks.

Greene County residents were reminded of the 2-1 service, which would be updated with current services in respect to COVID-19. With one phone number, callers get free, confidential access to thousands of programs and services that can help improve the quality of their lives, Penich said.

Staff writer Karen Mansfield contributed to this story.