COVID-19 Update: Monday, July 6

The following is the latest information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 3:45 p.m. on Monday, July 6.

Department of Health

The Department of Health issued a health alert regarding the changing epidemiology of COVID-19 case demographics as increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases are associated with travel and social gatherings. The alert advises clinicians to inquire about patients’ recent travel and ask them to develop a list of people with whom they were in close contact from the period 48 hours before the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
Perhaps with this in mind, the department has issued a warning for travelers stating that “If you have traveled, or plan to travel, to an area where there are high amounts of COVID-19 cases, it is recommended that you stay at home for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania.” The warning lists 15 such states with high numbers of COVID-19 cases. This is a warning, however, and not a requirement.
Last week Secretary Levine signed an order that Pennsylvanians must wear masks whenever they leave home; find that order here. The department has now followed up that effort with an FAQ about the mask order; find that FAQ here.
The Department of Health has issued guidance on how provider surveys will be conducted in counties that have moved to the yellow and green phases of the governor’s reopening plan. Find guidance for hospitals, ambulatory surgical facilities, and abortion facilities here and guidance for home care and home health agencies, hospices, birth centers, and pediatric extended care centers here.

Department of Health – by the numbers

After an alarming increase last week in the number of new COVID-19 cases in the state, those numbers have now stabilized and declined. Despite this overall positive news comes one troubling item: according to a department news release, “The number of new cases in Allegheny County increased by 218 overnight.”
The number of new deaths has fallen dramatically.
Despite the still-higher number of new cases, the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with the disease continues to decline and today is lower than at any time in June.