Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf announced Thursday, April 9, that schools in the state will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year in an ongoing effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The decision applies to all public K-12 schools, brick and mortar, cyber charter schools, private and parochial schools, career and technical centers and intermediate units.

All Department of Education early learning program classrooms, including those for Pre-K Counts, Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) and Preschool Early Intervention, will also remain closed.

Colleges and universities may not resume in-person instruction or reopen their physical locations until the governor permits them to open or lifts the closure of nonlife-sustaining businesses.

Students and families can continue to pick up meals at designated school sites.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education is encouraging schools to continue offering a continuity of education for all students in the most appropriate and accessible way possible.

Under the state’s directive, schools could begin summer programming on the day after their academic year ends.

All re-openings will be contingent on public health guidance provided by the Secretary of Health and stay-at-home orders issued by the governor.

Delaware County COVID-19 statistics

The number of COVID-19 related deaths in Delaware County has now risen to 28, and the number of positive confirmed cases of coronavirus stands at 1,238 as of Thursday, April 9, according to data from the Chester County Health Department.

Yeadon and Marple have lost six people each to COVID-19, the highest number of deaths in the county.

Middletown has had four COVID-19 deaths.

Lansdowne and Ridley lost two people each to COVID-19.

Newtown, Darby Borough, Ridley Park, Springfield and Norwood report one fatality from the coronavirus.

One death has also been reported among 448 cases under investigation to which no municipality has been identified.

The virus is reported in 46 of the 49 municipalities, with no cases reported in Upland, Rutledge and Lower Chichester.

Upper Darby has 124 reported cases, the highest number in the county, affecting .15 percent of Upper Darby’s 82,993 population.

The following are the number of reported cases of COVID-19 in Delaware County, listed by municipality in descending order of caseload.

• Upper Darby 124
• Haverford Township 62
• Nether Providence 58, up significantly from yesterday’s 35
• Marple 42
• Radnor has 35
• Middletown Township 35
• Darby Borough 32, up significantly from yesterday’s 24
• Yeadon 30, up significantly from yesterday’s 24
• City of Chester 28, up significantly from yesterday’s 18
• Newtown 26
• Thornbury 24
• Ridley Township 26
• Springfield 23
• Lansdowne 22
• Aston 20
• Collingdale 17
• Upper Chichester17
• Concord14
• Ridley Park 13
• Darby Township 12
• Swarthmore 10
• Upper Providence 9
• Chester Township 9
• Sharon Hill 9
• East Lansdowne 8
• Media 8
• Folcroft 8
• Colwyn 7
• Aldan 6
• Clifton Heights 6
• Trainer 5
• Parkside 5
• Norwood 5
• Morton 4
• Bethel 4
• Edgmont 4
• Glenolden 4
• Prospect Park 4
• Millbourne 3
• Chadds Ford 3
• Eddystone 2
• Rose Valley 2
• Tinicum 2
• Marcus Hook 1
• Brookhaven 1
• Chester Heights 1

No cases were reported in Lower Chichester, Rutledge and Upland.

The county had 4,340 people test negative for the virus.

Click here to access the latest data on Delaware County from the Chester County Health Department.

For information and resources concerning the coronavirus, visit the county website here.

Pennsylvania data

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed as of midnight, April 9, that there are 1,989 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 18,228.

All 67 counties in Pennsylvania now have cases of COVID-19.

The department also reported 29 new deaths among positive cases, bringing the statewide total to 338.

For more information on state COVID-19 findings, click here.