HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Gov. Tom Wolf announced on Friday the first two presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania.
Officials are waiting for testing results from the CDC before officially confirming these cases. Both individuals are adults. One is from Wayne County and recently traveled to a country where COVID-19 is present. The other individual is from Delaware County and recently traveled to an area of the United States where COVID-19 is present.
Both of those individuals are being quarantined in their homes for 14 days. The Health Department has been operating its Emergency Operations Center. Wolf signed a disaster declaration on Friday to allow for enhanced coordination between agencies.
Testing for COVID-19 is currently underway at the state laboratory in Exton. 20-25 individuals can currently be tested a day. By this weekend, officials believe they will be able to test 125-150 individuals a day.
The state’s current action is focused on mitigation tactics to prevent the virus from spreading.
“Further spread of this virus throughout the nation will likely occur,” Levine said. “Pennsylvanians should continue to help stop the spread of viruses by washing your hands, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning surfaces and staying home if you are sick.”
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. They may appear between two and 14 days after exposure. The elderly and those with pre-existing conditions are most at risk.
