Coronavirus Philadelphia: Health Officials Say 'We're Not Past Worst Of This Yet' As Cases Top 7,400 In City
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia health officials say we might not be past the worst of the coronavirus outbreak yet as the number of cases now stands above 7,400. Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley reported 311 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the citywide total to 7,441.
Farley said the number of daily cases may be "falsely low" due to delays in labs reporting cases.
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Farley cautioned Philadelphians that we might not yet be past the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak.
"The hospital data says we're not necessarily past the worst of this yet. I'm hopeful that we're near the top, but we're maybe not past the worst of it. People are still getting sick and we know the virus is still circulating," Farley said.
Sixteen more people also died from the virus, bringing the city's death toll to 222.
The number of residents who are hospitalized continues to grow. Farley says 778 Philadelphia residents are being treated at hospitals and 1,428 are hospitalized across the Philadelphia region.
Farley is continuing to urge all residents to stay inside.
"If we start behaving as we did before, the virus will surge again and our hospitals will have more difficulty in dealing with people who become sick," Farley said.
Meanwhile, the city has reached agreements with the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Center City and the Marriott Springhill Suites at the Philadelphia International Airport to be used for first responders who need quarantine or isolation space.
The Holiday Inn Express in Center City is already being used for anyone who cannot quarantine or isolate at home, including first responders and those who are homeless.
Statewide, there are 26,490 COVID-19 cases as 721 people have died from the virus.
