PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Allegheny County and surrounding counties have COVID-19 cases well below the threshold and the proper amount of available hospital beds to move into the yellow phase of coronavirus mitigation in Pennsylvania, but PA Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine says that isn't good enough yet.
Levine said that the population density of Allegheny County is the main reason the area will not move into the yellow phase on May 8.
"The Southwest region is not yet moving from red to yellow because particularly in Allegheny County and in Pittsburgh because of population density," said Dr. Levine.
She adds population density is a main reason that can lead to widespread of cases of COVID-19.
"We felt it prudent that looking at all the different data and looking at all the metrics but then taking consideration our ability to work with counties in terms of contact tracing and testing and the population density of Allegheny County and Pittsburgh that it was not prudent to go from red to yellow at this time, but we are hoping to do that in the future," said Levine.
24 counties in northern PA will see restriction slowly lifted at 12:01 next Friday.
On Wednesday, Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen said that Allegheny County is below the threshold of numbers needed to move into the yellow phase.
Governor Tom Wolf has said that the reopening of Pennsylvania will be done in sections and will be driven by data.
To reopen, an area must have 50 new cases or less per 100,000 within a 14 day period.
Dr. Bogen says that with Allegheny County's 1.3 million population we have to have 650 cases or less.
She adds that from April 10-23 the county has had 328 new or confirmed cases, well below the threshold.
On Thursday, UPMC announced that only 2 percent of its beds were being used for COVID-19 and that they were once again beginning elective surgeries.
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