Gov. Tom Wolf briefs the media at Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency HQ in suburban Harrisburg on Friday, 3/6/20 (Screen Capture)
State health officials confirmed Wednesday 276 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 and four new deaths in 44 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, bringing the statewide total of positive cases to 1,127 and the death total to 11.
In response to the increase in cases, Gov. Tom Wolf announced in a statement that he would expand his stay-at-home order to include Lehigh and Northampton Counties in an effort to mitigate the spread.
The order now includes 10 counties: Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Erie, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia counties. The amended orders takes effect at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, 2020, and will continue until April 6, 2020.
The Department of Health said that 11,193 Pennsylvanians have tested negative for COVID-19 as of noontime on Thursday.
In a statement, state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine reiterated the need for Pennsylvanians to stay home.
“Our notable increase in cases over the past few days indicate we need everyone to take COVID-19 seriously,” Levine said. “Pennsylvanians have a very important job right now: stay calm, stay home and stay safe. We have seen case counts continue to increase and the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home.”
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