Montgomery County Commission Valerie Arkoosh addresses the media at a press conference on March 20.
A Whitpain Township man is among 13 new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Montgomery County.
During a press conference on Friday afternoon, Montgomery County Commissioner Valerie Arkoosh announced that a 66-year-old male from Whitpain Township was among more than a dozen new cases of the coronavirus throughout the county. The male is currently hospitalized, Arkoosh said.
For the North Penn area, there is still only one positive case—a 59-year-old male from Montgomery Township, who remains hospitalized at this time. In total, Montgomery County currently has 68 positive cases, Arkoosh said. To view a county-wide map of positive cases, click here.
Arkoosh described the coronavirus situation as “rapidly evolving,” and put out a public request for donations of protective masks of any type, which can help offset supply shortages at area hospitals and healthcare centers.
Public Testing Center Opening in Upper Dublin on Saturday
Arkoosh announced on Thursday that a drive-through testing location will become publicly available at the Temple University Ambler Campus in Upper Dublin Township beginning at 10 a.m. on March 21. In order to be tested at the location, residents must meet at least one of the following criteria:
Testing will be performed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and can be scheduled via appointment only. Appointments can be made online by clicking here or via phone by calling 610-631-3000 after 8 a.m. on March 21. Individuals who do not meet the criteria will be turned away, and the location is for drive-through testing only and will not include treatment of any kind, according to officials.
Arkoosh said that the restrictions are in place due to the scarcity of tests and supplies, but said that the criteria for testing may change over time as more supplies become available.
State Cautions Younger People About Virus
Earlier on Friday, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine said there have been exponential increases in positive cases across the commonwealth, now totaling 268 positives across 26 counties.
Levine cautioned younger residents to adhere to the governor’s social distancing protocols, adding that a preliminary analysis revealed that 20-percent of hospitalizations connected to the COVID-19 coronavirus in Pennsylvania involved people between the age of 20-and-44-years-old.
Levine said she is concerned that the younger demographic is ignoring the mitigation efforts, and reiterated that people of any age should stay at home.
‘Non-Life-Sustaining’ Designation Causes Confusion
Following Governor Tom Wolf’s order to close all “non-life-sustaining” businesses at 8 p.m. on Thursday, a list was released that sought to clarify which businesses fell under the designation.
Unfortunately, the list was riddled with ambiguity and errors, such as stating that state stores would remain open (they were closed by order on Tuesday) as well as the absence of veterinary services and more.
In order to gain clarification, businesses owners can email the state to see if their business falls under the “non-life sustaining” designation (click here to email). For businesses that fall under the designation but feel that they provide a vital service that should not be closed, they can apply for a possible waiver (click here to email a request for a waiver).
See also:
Governor Orders Closure Of All ‘Non-Life-Sustaining’ Businesses Beginning Tonight
Lansdale Police Reiterate Parks Are Open, But Don’t Group Up
Montgomery Township Man Tests Positive For COVID-19 Coronavirus
Hatfield Borough Says Residents Should Return To Normal Pace Of Grocery Shopping
Harleysville Man Among New COVID-19 Cases In Montgomery County
