The Herald's Weekly Virus Update

The Morrisons Cove Herald again is providing articles about the coronavirus. The information below is the latest that could be included in this week's edition. This information is taken from the sources listed at the end of the article. Blair and Bedford counties are in the Green Phase as of Friday, June 5.

Note: There might be some minor inconsistencies in statistics provided as the states occasionally adjust numbers as new information is received.

AS OF NOON TUESDAY, JULY 7

Blair County

• 78 cases confirmed, up from 65 cases confirmed; 6,435 negatives, 1 death, 0.8 death rate per 100,000 residents

Bedford County

• 83 cases confirmed, up from 75 cases; 1,713 negatives, 4 deaths, 8.3 percent death rate per 100,000 residents

Nearby counties

Cambria: 83 cases confirmed, up from 61; 7,613 negatives, 3 deaths, no change

Somerset: 54 cases confirmed, up from 48 cases; 3,859 negatives, 1 death, no change

Huntingdon: 247 cases confirmed, up from 245 cases; 1,753 negatives, 4 deaths, no change

Fulton: 16 cases confirmed, no change; 545 negatives, 1 death, no change

Centre: 214 cases confirmed, up from 188; 4,948 negatives, 8 deaths, up from 6

Pa. Statewide

• 88,691 confirmed cases, up from 84,130 last Tuesday

• 2,608 probable cases

• 758,803 tested negative to date, up from 677,581 last Tuesday

• 6,787 deaths, up from 6,649 last Tuesday

Nearby states

New York: 398,237 cases, up from 393,454 cases; 29,518 deaths, up from last week – 150.5 deaths per 100,000 population

New Jersey: 173,878 cases, up from 171,667 cases; 15,281 deaths, up from 15,035 – 170.0 deaths per 100,000 population

United States

• 2,948,219 cases, up from 2,595,515 cases; 128,081 deaths, up from 124,679

Worldwide

• 11,632,000 cases, up from 10,350,000 cases; 535,000 deaths, up from 505,000 *

* Numbers rounded

Latest developments

• Masks are mandatory in all public spaces in Pennsylvania as of July 1, 2020. Expanding on the business safety order signed by Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine in April that requires the wearing of masks in businesses, Gov. Tom Wolf on July 1 announced a new order signed by Dr. Levine that takes the mask-wearing directive one step further. With this order, signed under Dr. Levine's authority under the Disease Prevention and Control Act, masks must be worn whenever anyone leaves home. The order takes effect immediately. "This mask-wearing order is essential to stopping the recent increase in COVID-19 cases we have seen in Pennsylvania," Gov. Wolf said. "Those hot spots can be traced to situations where Pennsylvanians were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing – two practices that must be adhered to if we want to maintain the freedoms we have in place under our reopening." The order outlines the situations when a mask must be worn and includes limited exceptions to the face-covering requirement. Each of the state's mitigation efforts has been intended to slow the spread of COVID-19, kept the state's health care systems from being overwhelmed, and allowed for a measured, phased reopening to proceed. But with nearly every county is the green phase of reopening, complacency cannot be the norm, the governor said. "It is essential that Pennsylvanians wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19," Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. "While cases increase in some areas, we cannot become complacent. My mask protects you, and your mask protects me. Wearing a mask shows that you care about others, and that you are committed to protecting the lives of those around you." More and more health experts have called for mask wearing, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who said during a June 30 Senate hearing on COVID-19, "Americans who don't wear masks may 'propagate the further spread of infection.'" The mask-wearing order will be sent to state and local officials, law enforcement and others tasked with education about the order for those not in compliance.

• The pandemic map of the United States burned bright red Monday, with the number of new coronavirus infections during the first six days of July nearing 300,000 as more states and cities moved to reimpose shutdown orders.

• Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has tested positive for the coronavirus, she announced on Twitter on Monday. "COVID-19 has literally hit home," she tweeted. "I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive." More local and state leaders on Monday embraced new restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus as the United States entered its 28th day reporting record-high average infections. Elected officials have called the rush to reopen a mistake.

• The NHL and NHL Players Association on Monday announced a tentative agreement on protocols for Phase 3 and Phase 4 of the league's 24-team return-to-play plan, an agreement in principle for a four-year extension to the collective bargaining agreement, transition rules and a critical dates calendar. Under the agreement – which still must be formally approved by the NHL's Board of Governors and the NHLPA's Executive Board, followed by the full NHLPA membership– formal training camps (Phase 3) would begin July 13, teams would travel to one of two hub cities July 26, and Stanley Cup playoff round-robin and qualifying-round games (Phase 4) would start Aug. 1. The results of the vote for formal approval are expected within the next few days. The NHL and NHLPA agreed to the league's return-to-play format in late May after the novel coronavirus pandemic abruptly halted the regular season in March.

• The federal government will deploy dozens of military medical personnel to San Antonio, where city leaders are warning of rising cases and fast-filling hospital beds, officials said Monday. The United States Northern Command, part of the Defense Department, said it would send "approximately 50 medical and support" staffers to the city at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "The medical personnel include emergency room and critical care nurses, respiratory specialists and support personnel," Northern Command announced on Twitter. Defense Department aid, including from the National Guard, was a hallmark of the responses to early outbreaks and is another signal of the worsening outlook in Texas, which on Monday became the fourth state to surpass 200,000 total cases.

What you can do

• Wear a mask anytime you are outside your house and around other people.

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.

• Clean surfaces frequently.

• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.

How It Spreads

Coronavirus disease spreads primarily through contact with an infected person when they cough or sneeze. It also spreads when a person touches a surface or object that has the virus on it, then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth.

Sources: Washington Post, New York Times, Pa. Department of Health