HARRISBURG (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - A false article circulating around the internet over the weekends had people in some areas of Pennsylvania concerned that a return to the red phase of the state’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts was imminent, but the PA Department of Health says those rumors are simply not true.
Officials within the health department told ABC27 in Harrisburg and confirmed to KDKA Radio that those rumors are not true.
The health department says that the state is monitoring counties that have a five percent or higher infection rates among citizens.
With new information available, Governor Tom Wolf has said Pennsylvania doesn’t need to be shut down completely and doesn’t see a return to the red phase.
Officials are now able to make “targeted and surgical” mitigation efforts to help reduce the spread of coronavirus in the commonwealth.
That means less businesses are affected when an outbreak occurs.
Data and contact tracing showed that a spike in COVID-19 cases in the Pittsburgh area was due to people not wearing masks and practicing social distancing in local bars and restaurants.
On Tuesday, the PA Department of Health reported 1,027 new COVID-19 cases to bring the total to 102,765.
Allegheny County reported 139 cases, with a large number from previous weeks, and Philadelphia reporting 168 new cases.
The number of tests giving in the last seven days is 155,796 with 5,996 testing positive over that time.
22,287 of those tests have been reported through 10 p.m. on Monday night. Those results represent the total number of tests administered.
20 additional deaths are being reported on Tuesday for a total of 7,038 across the state.
Most of those who have died are 65 or older.
Of the state’s total deaths, 4,809 have occurred in residents of nursing or personal care homes.
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