Allegheny County identifies 2nd covid-19 fatality; active cases up to 58

A second Allegheny County resident has died because of complications from covid-19, Allegheny County Health Department officials announced Tuesday.

The victim was identified as Ofelia Rousseva, 78, of the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. She was found unresponsive in a residence along the 800 block of Flemington Street. She died last Thursday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Officials ruled her cause of death acute respiratory distress syndrome due to covid-19 infection.

Rousseva was not diagnosed with covid-19 until after she died, officials said.

They said she had not traveled recently, but had other health issues that may have delayed the recognition of covid-19.

The county health department has conducted contact tracing based on information from the woman’s family, who are in self-isolation.

Medics who responded to a 911 call were wearing personal protective equipment.

Funeral fundraising

A GoFundMe page was launched to help cover Rousseva’s funeral expenses and family support.

It had more than reached its $2,500 goal with 65 donors contributing $4,280 as of late Tuesday.

covid-19 reporting

Allegheny County reported 58 active covid-19 cases Tuesday, up from 48 the previous day.

That number does not include the two deaths.

Allegheny County reported its first fatal covid-19 case Saturday.

Health department officials are working with the state health department to ensure the number of positive cases reported by the county and the state are consistent, the statement said.

Allegheny County on Monday rolled out a new “rumor control” web page to answer the public’s coronavirus-related questions.

The page has since been updated to include questions about a stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday, which directs residents of Allegheny and six other counties to stay at home unless “someone’s life depends on your leaving,” in Gov. Wolf’s words. The order permits leaving home for essential work, food shopping and outdoor exercise, among other activities.

The order also affects Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Philadelphia and Montgomery counties, which are all reporting high numbers of covid-19 cases, according to figures released by the state Department of Health.

Pennsylvania reported 207 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, raising the statewide total to 851. There have been more than 8,600 negative tests.

Seven Pennsylvania residents, including the two from Allegheny County, have died from the coronavirus.