The Herald's Weekly Virus Update

Editor’s Note: Thank you to the reader who pointed out an error in the May 7 edition regarding the “up from” numbers in Blair and Bedford counties. We have revised our method of presenting this information to minimize errors.

There was an error in this week’s tabulation. The correct information for the week of 5-7-2020 is presented below. Note that the number of confirmed cases was correct. The incorrect information was the number of cases from the previous week.

– CORRECTED –

AS OF 8:30 A.M. WEDNESDAY, MAY 6

Blair County

• 25 cases confirmed, up from 21 cases confirmed, 0 deaths

Bedford County

• 26 cases confirmed, up from 22 cases, 1 death

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.

Nearby counties

Cambria: 34 cases, up from 20; deaths revised down to 1 from 2

Somerset: 30 cases, up from 19 cases; 1 death

Huntingdon: 59 cases, up from 13; 0 deaths

Fulton: 7 cases, up from 2; 0 deaths

Centre: 106 cases, up from 77; 2 deaths

Pa. Statewide

• Total of 50,957 cases, up from 34,528 last Wednesday

• 3,012 deaths, up from 1,564 last Wednesday

• 199,925 Pa. patients who have tested negative to date, up from 132,323 last Wednesday

• Pa. area with most cases: Philadelphia, 13,563, up from 9,391; with 627 deaths, up from 363 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 38%

50-64 27%

65+ 27%

These numbers have remained largely unchanged since the start of the outbreak.

Nearby states

New York: 321,192 cases, up from 258,589; 25,028 deaths, up from 19,118

New Jersey: 130,593 cases, up from 92,387; 8,244 deaths, up from 4,753

United States

• 1,197,000 cases, up from 813,000; 70,588 deaths, up from 44,673

Worldwide

• 3,676,408 cases, up from 2,570,580; 257,416 deaths, up from 178,079

Latest developments

• As coronavirus deaths mount and many Americans remain hesitant about returning to the rhythms of normal life, President Trump is beginning to acknowledge that additional lives may be lost in the push to reopen the U.S. economy. “Will some people be affected badly? Yes,” the president told reporters Tuesday. “But we have to get our country open.” During a subsequent television interview, as the U.S. death toll surpassed 70,000, Trump admitted that it’s “possible” more Americans will die as governors lift stay-at-home orders that were implemented to slow the spread of the virus.

• Although the rate of infection shows no sign of slowing, Vice President Pence said the administration’s coronavirus task force could be dismantled in the next month because “of the tremendous progress we’ve made as a country.”

• The European Union says its economy is expected to shrink by 7.4 percent this year — the continent’s worst downturn since World War II.

• Many infectious-disease researchers have expressed skepticism about a new paper — not yet peer-reviewed — suggesting that a strain of the coronavirus has mutated to become more contagious.

• Some publicly traded companies are refusing to return the money they received through a small-business loans program, saying the Treasury Department changed its rules after granting the funds.

• Volunteers recruited by senior adviser Jared Kushner to help with the administration’s COVID-19 response lacked relevant experience and bungled attempts to obtain crucial medical supplies, according to a complaint filed with the House Oversight Committee.

• Vice President Pence said Wednesday that White House officials had asked college athletic representatives to consider curtailing the attendance of elderly alumni at sporting events as a strategy to reduce the spread of the coronavirus among the higher-risk group.

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