The Wolf Administration spoke to Pennsylvanians about the surge in Coronavirus cases today.
Donning a mask for the entire press conference, Governor Tom Wolf spoke with a sense of urgency about the need to slow the spread of the coronavirus, saying that the toll the pandemic is taking on hospitals is having an effect on how doctors can respond to other illnesses and injuries.
"Already we're hearing stories about hospitals forced to divert patients to other treatment facilities because of full emergency rooms and overwhelming needs," he said.
"If we don't slow the spread of this dangerous virus now, the reality is that COVID-19 will overwhelm our hospitals and our healthcare workers," Gov. Wolf said."That's dangerous for every one who needs medical care in a hospital for any reason, because it stretches resources and staff to the breaking point."
The administration said overwhelming the state's health system can lead to people dying.
Related
Wolf stopped short of enacting new restrictions or measures, instead pleading with Pennsylvanians to follow safety measures like hygiene, wearing masks, and contact tracing to get the surge under control.
“Right now, we all need to take a hard look at our choices and our actions and take every precaution to protect our neighbors, families, and friends, our doctors and our nurses, and every healthcare worker.
“We can stop the spread of COVID-19 if we work together. So please, stay home unless you need to go out, do not attend gatherings with people outside your household, and if you need to leave your home, wear a mask. We can prevent that worst-case scenario from becoming reality, but that means that all of us need to take this virus seriously because the virus is in control and we need to take back control.”
Over the past two days, Pennsylvania has seen 14,960 new cases of COVID-19, including 5,300 hospitalizations and more than 1100 people in intensive care.
Statewide, COVID-19 cases now total more than 426,000. The positivity rate jumped from 11.7% last week to 14.4% this week.
Related
“This is a significant challenge for our healthcare system, one unlike our modern health system in Pennsylvania has ever faced,” Secretary of Health Dr. Levine said. “Sadly, we have now seen deaths from COVID-19 in every county in the state, and our hospitals in many locations are at or near capacity. The steps each of us take, as part of our collective responsibility, are essential to protect us from the spread of COVID-19.”