Coronavirus in Pa.: Governor outlines plans for reopening the rest of the state

Adams and York counties moved to the yellow phase Friday, and Dauphin, Lebanon and Franklin counties will be moving from red to yellow on May 29, Gov. Tom Wolf announced on Friday.

Under Wolf's three-phase plan for reopening, the yellow phase allows some restrictions to be lifted and some businesses can reopen. Some stores, such as Boscov's, are reopening this weekend. Restaurants and bars are still limited to carryout and delivery.

More:17 Pennsylvania counties will go into green phase May 29

The other counties moving to yellow on May 29 are Huntingdon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, and Schuylkill.

The remainder of the state will move to yellow on June 5.

Some counties outside of south central Pennsylvania will be moving into the green phase on May 29, which lifts stay-at-home and business closure orders. Some precautions will continue to be in effect, Wolf said.

Franklin and Lebanon counties have been in the red phase, which includes a stay-at-home order.

The Lebanon County Commissioners voted 2-1 recently for a resolution to move Lebanon to the "yellow" phase of reopening ahead of the governor's plan.

Officials in Franklin County have expressed their frustration that the county was not being moved to the "yellow" phase quick enough.

On Friday, Pennsylvania had 66,258 cases of coronavirus. That includes 866 additional positive cases, according to the state Department of Health. 

A total of 4,984 deaths have been reported, with an increase of 115 new deaths on Friday.

Wolf modifies eviction order

Wolf amended his May 7 executive order regarding evictions and foreclosures to specify that the order only applies to lack of payment or because a tenant has overstayed a lease.

If a landlord has other cause to evict a tenant, he or she may do so before July 10.

Houses of worship deemed essential 

President Donald Trump on Friday said churches and other houses of worship are "essential" and called on governors to allow them to reopen as early as this weekend.

"Today I'm identifying houses of worship -- churches, synagogues and mosques -- as essential places that provide essential services," Trump said during a news conference.

He said if governors don't abide by his request, he will "override" them. The CDC released its reopening guidelines for houses of worship on Thursday.

In need of food? Get help on Saturday

A pop-up, drive-up food distribution site is planned for Saturday at South Western High School, according to a news release.

It will be from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the school, 200 Bowman Road in Penn Township.

Anyone in need of food can come to the distribution site to receive a box of goods, including frozen meat and produce.

Skatepark still closed

Some areas of York County parks have reopened in the yellow phase. But ballfields, courts and playground equipment are not among the open areas.

Neither is the Reid Menzer Memorial Skatepark on Vander Avenue in York city.

City spokesman Philip Given confirmed Friday afternoon that the skate park will remain closed until the county goes green.

Yard sales: Should I plan or visit one? 

Some advertisements for yard sales are being posted on Facebook, but they are not recommended in the red or yellow phases, said Nate Wardle, a spokesman for the state Department of Health.

It would be hard to ensure social distancing, and "also with people picking up and touching items, unless they were washed in between, it would be a problem as far as the potential of the spread of germs and the inability to wash hands," Wardle wrote in an email.

House cleaners: Are they allowed?

It's up to the discretion of the homeowners whether to have someone come in to professionally clean their home, Wardle said.

This applies to counties that have moved into the yellow phase.

If homeowners decide to have cleaners come into their home, they should ensure that the individual or company is taking steps, such as wearing a mask, washing their hands frequently, and cleaning surfaces touched with a disinfectant.

Hospitalizations in Pa.

The state has 1,619 people who are hospitalized because of the coronavirus, and of those patients, 351 are on ventilators. And, 14 patients are using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. 

Pennsylvania has access to 5,387 ventilators, and 1,279 are in use.

County breakdown of cases, testing

Here's a breakdown of the positive and negative tests of the coronavirus in southcentral Pennsylvania as well as the deaths reported in those counties as of May 22:

Adams

• Positive: 214
• Negative: 2,418
• Deaths: 5

Cumberland

• Positive: 572
• Negative: 3,674
• Deaths: 43

Dauphin

• Positive: 1,049
• Negative: 8,426
• Deaths: 57

Franklin

• Positive: 697
• Negative: 4,463
• Deaths: 28

Lancaster

• Positive: 2,736
• Negative: 13,286
• Deaths: 272

Lebanon

• Positive: 892
• Negative: 3,926
• Deaths: 24

York

• Positive: 895
• Negative: 11,373
• Deaths: 22

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How many cases of coronavirus does Pa. have? 

Here's a look at the numbers in Pennsylvania:

Cases: 66,258

New cases: 866 new cases as of May 22

Deaths: 4,984

Patients who tested negative: 312,743  

Pa. cases by county

Here are how many confirmed cases and deaths each county in Pennsylvania has as of May 22: 

• Adams County: 214 (5 deaths) 
• Allegheny County:  1,739 (154 deaths)
• Armstrong County: 58 (2 deaths)
• Beaver County: 550 (71 deaths)
• Bedford County: 36 (2 death)
• Berks County: 3,838 (283 deaths)
• Blair County: 46 (1 death)
• Bradford County: 43 (3 deaths)
• Bucks County: 4,764 (454 deaths)
• Butler County: 209 (12 deaths)
• Cambria County: 55 (2 death)
• Cameron County: 2
• Carbon County: 224 (22 deaths)
• Centre County: 138 (5 deaths)
• Chester County: 2,320 (242 deaths)
• Clarion County: 25 (2 death)
• Clearfield County: 33
• Clinton County: 48
• Columbia County: 342 (29 deaths)
• Crawford County: 21
• Cumberland County: 572 (43 deaths)
• Dauphin County: 1,049 (57 deaths)
• Delaware County: 6,060 (501 deaths) 
• Elk County: 6 
• Erie County: 190 (4 deaths)
• Fayette County: 93 (4 deaths)
• Forest County: 7
• Franklin County: 697 (28 deaths)
• Fulton County: 14 (1 death)
• Greene County: 27 
• Huntingdon County: 223 (1 death)
• Indiana County: 89 (4 deaths)
• Jefferson County: 7
• Juniata County: 94 (4 death)
• Lackawanna County: 1,451 (148 deaths)
• Lancaster County: 2,736 (272 deaths)
• Lawrence County: 73 (8 deaths) 
• Lebanon County: 892 (24 deaths)
• Lehigh County: 3,613 (197 deaths)
• Luzerne County: 2,620 (133 deaths)
• Lycoming County: 155 (12 deaths) 
• McKean County: 11 (1 death) 
• Mercer County: 102 (4 deaths)
• Mifflin County: 57 (1 death)
• Monroe County: 1,295 (97 deaths)
• Montgomery County: 6,366 (619 deaths) 
• Montour County: 50 
• Northampton County: 2,842 (192 deaths)
• Northumberland County: 155 (2 deaths)
• Perry County: 43 (1 death)
• Philadelphia County: 17,057 (1,196 deaths)
• Pike County: 475 (18 deaths) 
• Potter County: 4
• Schuylkill County: 560 (26 deaths)
• Snyder County: 35 (1 deaths)
• Somerset County: 37 
• Sullivan County: 2
• Susquehanna County: 93 (15 deaths) 
• Tioga County: 16 (2 death)
• Union County: 61 (1 death) 
• Venango County: 8
• Warren County: 3 
• Washington County: 134 (5 deaths) 
• Wayne County: 115 (6 deaths)
• Westmoreland County: 436 (38 deaths)
• Wyoming County: 33 (7 deaths)
• York County: 895 (22 deaths) 

Coronavirus symptoms, testing 

According to the CDC, reported illnesses from COVID-19 have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death.   

Fever, cough and shortness of breath might appear 2 to 14 days after you've been exposed to the virus.

If you think you've been exposed to the coronavirus and develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your primary healthcare provider immediately for guidance, including whether you should be tested.

Testing overall is still about 10 to 14 days behind, meaning the data today shows the rate of infection two weeks ago. 

The CDC is now shifting its testing efforts to include new antibody tests that will help determine who was infected and asymptomatic, and may now be immune to the virus. 

Knowing who is protected from the infection will be important to getting the country back to work and reopening the U.S. economy, federal officials said. 

Preventing the spread

There is currently neither a vaccine nor an approved treatment for the new, or novel, coronavirus. While many people might only get mild symptoms, older adults and those who already have medical issues can end up with more serious complications. There's concern that a fast spread of the virus could overwhelm the health system to provide care, including the need for respirators in serious cases. 

With further spread of the virus and disruptions to everyday life expected, officials remind residents to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

You should also cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow (not your hands), clean surfaces that are frequently touched (such as countertops, light switches and phones), and stay home if you are sick. 

People are also asked not to attend large gatherings and to practice "social distancing." It's best to keep six feet apart from other people you don't live with.