Pennsylvania sees third straight day of under 400 infections
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine speaks at a coronavirus press conference. (Office of Gov. Tom Wolf)
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania has recorded a third straight day of under 400 new positive coronavirus tests, according to Department of Health data Tuesday, the longest such stretch since new cases began regularly exceeding that level in late March.
Still, the number of people dying from it daily remains in the dozens.
Officials reported 33 additional deaths and 362 new positive cases of the coronavirus Tuesday. That brings the state's totals to nearly 80,000 cases and 6,276 deaths since early March.
Of those, 75% have recovered, the department said.
The number of infections is thought to be far higher than the state’s confirmed case count because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.
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Wolf loosened restrictions on eight more counties, announcing last Friday that Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Luzerne, Monroe, Perry, Pike and Schuylkill counties are moving from yellow to green under the state’s phased reopening system.
The new designation, which will take effect in those counties on Friday, allows gyms, barbers and theaters to reopen at reduced capacity. Bars and restaurants may allow indoor dining, also at reduced capacity.
Gatherings of up to 250 people are permitted in green zones.
By Friday, 54 of 67 counties will have been designated green. Remaining in the more restrictive yellow phase are Philadelphia and southeastern counties, where the coronavirus has had the worst impact; parts of the Poconos region, Lehigh Valley and northeastern Pennsylvania; and Erie, Lebanon and Lancaster counties.
A dozen more counties moved to green last Friday, after Wolf announced their status change a week ago. They are Adams, Beaver, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Northumberland, Union, Wayne, Wyoming and York.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple of weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are at higher risk of more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
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