Delaware County Gets its First Reported Case of Coronavirus, One of Two in Pennsylvania

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Delaware County Vice Chairman Dr. Monica Taylor speaks at a press conference about the coronavirus pandemic. With her are Tim Boyce, county director of emergency services (left), District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer (third from left) and Dr. George Avetian, Delaware County senior medical adviser. Image via Delaware County Council Facebook page.

County officials are being proactive to news Friday that a woman in Delaware County has tested positive for the Coronavirus.

The case was announced at a press conference Friday with county officials and reported in a county press release as well as reported by Tom Avril and Justine McDaniel for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The case, one of two reported in Pennsylvania, is not community spread, county officials said at the conference.

A Delaware County woman contracted the virus after attending a conference in Boston where the virus was present, according to State Rep. Greg Vitali (D-166).

She was treated at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland and placed into quarantine in her home. Her physician was also under quarantine, he said.

“It’s fair to say they moved about Delaware County to seek medical treatment and returned home,” said county emergency services head Timothy Boyce at the conference.

The Pennsylvania Health Department is tracking down people she may have come into contact with and alerting those people, according to the county release.

The woman remains at home and is “in good physical condition,” said Pennsylvania’s secretary of health, Rachel Levine.

The Department of Intercommunity Health, Department of Emergency Services, the County Council, and a medical countermeasure team are coordinating “a very strong plan in place” to respond to any cases or an outbreak.

There are currently no plans to close any schools in the county.  A decision to close a school(s) would be made independently by the school district, according to the release.

Because of the vulnerable nursing home population, only essential visits are being allowed at the county’s Fair Acres facility, said George Avetian, senior medical adviser for the county.

Gov. Tom Wolf issued an emergency disaster declaration, directing up to $20 million in unused appropriated funds to combat the virus in Pennsylvania.

A county website is available with information on the coronavirus and the county response.

You can also read the Inquirer article here,  click here to watch the press conference on Delaware County Council’s Facebook page, or click here to read the county press release.

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