Pa. reports 207 new coronavirus cases, raising statewide total to 851

Pennsylvania has confirmed 207 new cases of the coronavirus, raising the statewide total to 851 cases, the state Department of Health said Tuesday.

Seven people have died due to the coronavirus, the department said.

Cases have now been reported in 40 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The number of new cases marks the largest one-day increase to date in Pennsylvania.

The state Department of Health released new numbers Tuesday. The department typically updates the number of statewide cases once a day.

The bulk of the cases are in eastern Pennsylvania but the coronavirus continues to spread across the state. Most counties in the Harrisburg area have at least one confirmed case. More cases are being reported in the Pittsburgh area.

In central Pennsylvania, Cumberland County has 13 cases, according to new state figures. York County now has 18 cases, including 8 additional cases today. Lancaster County has 10 cases, up from 5 yesterday. Dauphin County has 3 new cases, bringing the county total to 4. Juniata County has its first case.

There are 8,643 patients who have tested negative, the health department said. The state no longer provides updates on the number of pending test results. Most testing is now being done in private laboratories or hospitals, the health department said.

Two deaths have been reported in Allegheny County and two deaths have been reported in Northampton County. The other deaths were reported in Lackawanna, Monroe and Montgomery counties.

For perspective, Pennsylvania’s first coronavirus case was reported less than three weeks ago.

Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine has said she is concerned that the rapid spread of the coronavirus could threaten the capacity of the health care system. She has urged Pennsylvanians to stay home so hospitals aren’t overwhelmed.

Gov. Tom Wolf has imposed aggressive measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus. He’s issued stay-at-home orders for seven counties, including the Philadelphia region and the Pittsburgh area.

The Philadelphia area continues to see more cases being reported. There are 177 cases in Philadelphia, including 48 new cases reported today. Neighboring Montgomery County has 144 cases, including 15 new cases.

In western Pennsylvania, Allegheny County now has 58 cases, including 10 new cases reported today.

The governor has also ordered K-12 schools to be closed until April 6. And he has ordered the closure of all businesses in Pennsylvania that are not life-sustaining, an order that has confused some companies and led thousands of businesses to petition to remain open.

State police said 27 warnings were issued to non-life-sustaining businesses across the state which remained open.

Colleges and universities across Pennsylvania has switched to remote learning for the rest of the semester.

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