Officials: 2 coronavirus cases reported in Pittsburgh
Two Pittsburgh residents from the same household are the first in Allegheny County to test positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, which still does not appear to be widespread in Western Pennsylvania, health officials said Saturday.
Neither affected person required treatment at a hospital, Allegheny County Health Director Debra Bogen said at a news conference in Downtown Pittsburgh. She said county health officials learned of the pair of cases confirmed by a commercial lab Friday night.
One patient is in their 60s, the other in their 70s. They were initially examined by their physician and later in the emergency department at West Penn Hospital in Bloomfield, according to Allegheny Health Network officials.
They are in isolation at home.
Both acquired the virus by traveling to another state. Health officials declined to name the state where the exposure happened or where in the city they reside together.
The patients did not have any contact with nursing homes or senior living communities, Bogen said.
“Knowing that many residents are likely to be concerned about potential exposure or interaction with the two cases, it’s important that we remind the community that covid-19 can only be spread through close contact,” Bogen said.
Health officials will be closely monitoring the two patients for further symptoms. They also are contacting known individuals who were in close contact with the patients and requesting them to self-quarantine.
With the addition of the Allegheny County covid-19 cases, there are now 47 in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Of those, six have been confirmed by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Bogen said there’s no evidence of community spread in Allegheny County, nor indicators such as large clusters of pneumonia.
But health authorities anticipate more cases in coming days.
“It’s OK to be a little afraid about this. It’s not OK to be panicked and do things that don’t help you at all and don’t protect you,” said Dr. Donald Yealy, chair of emergency medicine at UPMC. “Walking around in a mask is not really going to protect you. It may feel like it, but it’s not.”
The first case of covid-19 in Western Pennsylvania was reported in Washington County on Friday.
When asked about estimating how pervasive the new coronavirus could be in the region, Yealy said it’s difficult to gauge at this point because there’s so little data available.
“The honest answer is, I don’t know,” Yealy said. “The difficulty with estimates is the vast majority of the population hasn’t been tested.”
Limited research has suggested there is not yet a “wide outbreak” here, Yealy said. The situation will become much more clear as commercial labs and hospitals roll out more testing capabilities now that federal, state and county rules to do so have been relaxed.
“Expanded testing is necessary,” Yealy said. “It will take time to marshal all of the up-ramping of testing availability.”
He stressed that just because many more tests will become available, that doesn’t mean everyone who wants one can get one. Patients still have to start by calling a physician and reporting symptoms.
U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, who spoke at Saturday’s news conference alongside Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, lauded the House approving Friday night legislation he says will ensure that nobody will be denied a test because they can’t afford it.
Lamb expects President Trump to sign the bill into law as soon as Monday.
“Regardless of which type of insurance you have … you will not be charged to get this test,” said Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon.
Lamb said the bill’s swift passage demonstrates Congress can overcome partisan divides and be productive when united around a common goal.
“This probably moved faster than anything I’ve seen in my two years in Washington,” Lamb said. “And it reflects that when the situation is truly urgent, we still have what it takes to get the job done.”
Post-presser, @RepConorLamb tells me #Coronavirus bill shows Congress can act swiftly when united:
“This probably moved faster than anything I’ve seen my 2 yrs in Washington.
“It reflects that when the situation is truly urgent, we still have what it takes to get the job done.” pic.twitter.com/rRTDy8ZJI1
— Natasha Lindstrom (@NewsNatasha) March 14, 2020
The city of Pittsburgh on Friday declared a state of emergency, banning public gatherings of 250 people or more, and Allegheny County encouraged the same. The ban goes into effect at 9 a.m. Monday.
Earlier Saturday, UPMC officials announced they had developed a coronavirus test and will begin screening next week at a facility in the South Side.
Allegheny Health Network has been collaborating with commercial labs to expedite testing. AHN also is exploring pop-up or drive-through testing centers, in line with efforts in Washington state and Colorado.
Allegheny County Health Department officials are encouraging religious leaders to consider steps to slow the spread of illness. They asked the public to avoid large gatherings of more than 250 people and places such as gyms, movie theaters and malls.
Anyone who believes they may have symptoms of covid-19, such as shortness of breath, cough and fever, should stay home and contact a primary health care provider.
The county will be posting a list of testing locations online as they become available at AlleghenyCounty.us/coronavirus/.
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