Update: Now two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Clearfield County

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UPDATE: As of the noon report on Wednesday, March 25, there are now two confirmed cases in Clearfield County.

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Clearfield County, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health has confirmed one case of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in Clearfield County.

The case was added to the department’s COVID-19 map on Tuesday, March 24 during their noon update.

This brings the number of confirmed cases in PA (as of 1:40 p.m. Tuesday) to 851.

No details can be given about the individual involved or their condition.

During an informal press conference, Penn Highlands Healthcare said that this individual was not in any of their hospitals but has been confirmed as a positive COVID-19 test result.

Keep up to date at the PA Department of Health Coronavirus website.

Listen to the interview with Penn Highlands officials. Mark Norman, the COO of Penn Highlands Healthcare, and Dr. Shaun Sheehan, the leader of a new COVID-19 task force at Penn Highlands, talk about the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Clearfield County. They reassure listeners that precautions remain in place to help stop the spread.

DuBois, PA – One person in Clearfield County has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual is not in a Penn Highlands Healthcare facility, however, Penn Highlands Healthcare, PHH, will continue to work closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to monitor the situation.

“We encourage everyone to remain vigilant to the practices of good hand hygiene, disinfecting high-touch areas and self-isolation. These precautions can help curb the spread of the virus and keep people healthy,” Dr. Shaun Sheehan, Medical Director of Emergency Medicine for all of PHH and leader of the PHH COVID-19 Task Force, said.

Penn Highlands Healthcare is prepared to care for COVID-19 patients and has taken many precautions to limit the exposure of COVID-19 to its patients, visitors and staff. To date, it has restricted visitors in its hospitals and nursing homes. Non-essential elective procedures have been canceled to reduce the number of people coming into the hospital.

Hospitals and other buildings have one public entrance open at each location, and all visitors who enter have their temperature checked and verbally screened for symptoms of COVID-19.
Employees have been self-monitoring for COVID-19 and had opportunities for re-education about protective gear. PHH sends daily updates about COVID-19 from the PHH Task Force, the Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.

Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 – cough, fever, sore throat and shortness of breath – are encouraged to stay home. They should call their primary care provider or if they do not have a PCP, they can call the PHH referral line at 814-375-6644 from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday through Saturday and from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday. From that phone call, the process to determine if a test should be performed begins.

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