The Herald's Weekly Virus Update

The Morrisons Cove Herald again is providing articles about the coronavirus. The information below is the latest that could be included in this week’s edition.

AS OF 8:30 A.M. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22

Blair County

• 14 cases confirmed, up from 11 cases confirmed, 0 deaths

Bedford County

• 16 cases confirmed, up from 5 cases, 1 death

Nearby counties

Cambria: 20 cases, up from 14; 2 deaths

Somerset: 19 cases, up from 13 cases; 0 deaths

Huntingdon: 13 cases, up from 11; 0 deaths

Fulton: 2 cases, same as last week; 0 deaths

Centre: 77 cases, up from 70; 2 deaths

Pa. Statewide

• Total of 34,528 cases, up from 25,345 last Wednesday

• 1,564 deaths, up from 584 last Wednesday

• 132,323 Pa. patients who have tested negative to date, up from 108,286 last Wednesday

• Pa. area with most cases: Philadelphia, 9,391, up from 7,121; with 363 deaths, up from 131 deaths

• Of patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is:

Age Range / ​Percent of Cases

0-4 < 1%

5-12 < 1%

13-18 1%

19-24 6%

25-49 39%

50-64 28%

65+ 25%

Nearby states

New York: 258,589 cases, up from 203,020; 19,118 deaths, up from 10,842

New Jersey: 92,387 cases, up from 68,824; 4,753 deaths, up from 2,805

United States

• 813,000 cases, up from 608,458

• 44,673 deaths, up from 25,992

Worldwide

• 2,570,580 cases, up from 1,980,003

• 178,079 deaths, up from 126,557

Latest developments

• Governors across the political spectrum insisted that the federal government must step up its support for states trying to roll out mass testing to safely reopen the economy, and President Trump continued to defend his approach but said he would seek to speed production of swabs.

• Protests demanding the end of stay-at-home orders spread Sunday to more state capitals, including in Washington, where about 2,500 people – a particularly large turnout among recent rallies flouting social distancing rules – demonstrated against Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s policies. Trump defended the protesters Sunday, arguing that some governors “have gone too far” in their social-distancing requirements during the pandemic.

• As deaths in the United States surpassed 40,000, Trump administration and congressional leaders say they are close to striking a $400 billion-plus deal to renew funding for a small-business loan program that ran out of money.

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published guidelines for doctors to start offering elective medical procedures again, as part of a phased process of reopening the country. The guidelines, released Sunday, came about a month after federal officials advised halting nonessential care to focus efforts and precious personal protective equipment on treating and limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus. Officials said Sunday that some places are seeing declines in cases and hospitals are reporting extra capacity.

• Sunday, President Trump said he might use the Defense Production Act to compel the production of more swabs for testing, with capacity expected to increase by more than 20 million swabs each month. The announcement comes as the governors of several states have called for the federal government to help them secure more supplies so they can meet the recommended requirements for gradually reopening their economies.

• Nursing homes will now be required to report all coronavirus cases to patients, families of patients and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials announced at Sunday’s White House coronavirus task force briefing.

• Public health detectives trying to retrace the path of the coronavirus across America were offered another clue late Tuesday night when the medical examiner of Santa Clara California revealed that two people who died in their homes in early February were infected with the coronavirus – weeks before the first officially recorded death in Seattle. Neither of the victims had a travel history, meaning that in all probability they were infected in the community, indicating that the virus was already spreading at that time – a reminder of how swiftly the epidemic has transformed life in the country and around the world. The first death in California, on Feb. 6, was only 73 days ago.

What you can do

• 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.

How It Spreads

Coronavirus disease spreads primarily through contact with an infected person when they cough or sneeze. It also spreads when a person touches a surface or object that has the virus on it, then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth.

Sources: Washington Post, New York Times, Pa. Department of Health