Coronavirus Pennsylvania: Cases Top 54,000, Death Toll Surpasses 3,600 As 24 Counties Begin Reopening
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania has topped 54,000 as 24 counties in the northwestern and north-central part of the state begin to reopen today. Health officials reported 1,323 additional cases, bringing the statewide total to 54,238.
Two-hundred more people died from the coronavirus, raising the death toll to 3,616.
"As we prepare to move a number of counties from red to yellow, we need all Pennsylvanians to continue to follow the social distancing and mitigation efforts in place," Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said. "We must continue to protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, which includes our seniors, those with underlying health issues, our healthcare workers and our first responders. I am proud of the work that Pennsylvanians have done so far, but we cannot stop now, we must continue to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from COVID-19."
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Over 216,000 patients have tested negative for the virus.
As 24 counties begin to reopen, Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs had its stay-at-home orders extended to June 4.
On Friday, Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to lift many southwestern Pennsylvania counties, including the Pittsburgh area, into the "yellow" phase, along with the two dozen counties that emerged from lockdown Friday.
The 24 counties are home to 1.5 million of Pennsylvania's 12.8 million residents, and is about one-third of its geographical area at about 14,000 square miles.
Along with retailers and other kinds of businesses that can reopen, gatherings of up to 25 people are now allowed. But gyms, barber shops, nail salons, casinos, theaters and other such venues are required to remain closed and other restrictions will remain in place, including a ban on youth sports.
The counties are Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango and Warren.
Republicans and some business owners have complained that Wolf is moving too slowly to reopen Pennsylvania's economy. More than 1.9 million people, including self-employed and gig workers, have filed for unemployment since mid-March.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
