Montco Coronavirus: 34 Cases, No New Deaths Monday

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — On Monday, 34 additional cases of the new coronavirus were reported in Montgomery County. No cases were reported in the county's jail, nor in long-term care facilities. No additional deaths were reported.

In the course of the last week, a total of 227 cases and 11 deaths were reported. Of the new cases, 15 were diagnosed in long-term care facilities.

In a release, county officials said eight of the residents who died in the last week lived in long-term care facilities, and they range in age from 63- to 95-years-old.

The daily breakdown of new positive cases is:

• July 8 — 46
• July 9 — 23
• July 10 — 41
• July 11 — 39
• July 12 — 23
• July 13 — 21
• July 14 — 34

As of Monday, the county's total number of positive tests is 8,802. The death toll stands at 811.

In a statement Tuesday, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Chair Valerie Arkoosh implored residents to continue practicing social distancing and other hygienic measures intended to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

“While our case numbers are holding steady, I want to remind Montgomery County residents that it is absolutely critical that we all continue to wear masks when outside of our homes and practice social distancing. If you do not feel well, please stay at home,” Arkoosh said.“If you test positive, please cooperate with contact tracing. These simple steps will keep the virus at the current level, allow our businesses to continue to operate and our children to go back to school this fall.”

Contact Tracing

In a release, Montgomery County announced it has partnered with ACLAMO, Family Services of Montgomery County, Montgomery County OIC and Visiting Nurses Association Community Services to offer contact tracing in the area.

The county reported anyone who was tested or identified as having come in contact with a person carrying the new coronavirus will receive a call from the 'Results Center' or a community partner. Residents can return the call to 610.278.5923 to obtain test results.

Officials said all information obtained and used by contract tracing partners is confidential and used only to track cases of COVID-19.

Testing

The county's six walk-up testing sites are available to people of all ages without a prescription or insurance. Residents can begin making appointments for testing at 8:30 a.m. each day.

Testing is also available at no cost through 12 CVS and Rite Aid locations in Montgomery County. These drive-thru testing sites are available only to people 18-years-old and older.

Green Phase

On June 29, Pennsylvania entered the Green Phase of its reopening plan. In a news conference Wednesday, Commissioner Val Arkoosh said the goal of the green phase is "carefully and cautiously moving forward to our new normal."

Arkoosh implored residents to do five things in order to continue the Green Phase of reopening, protect businesses and allow schools to reopen in the fall:

• Wear a mask (Pennsylvania's universal mask order requires masks to be worn when indoors or outdoors when social distance can't be maintained)
• Maintain a social distance of at least 6-feet from others.
• Keep hands clean using soap and water or hand sanitizer.
• Get tested
• Cooperate with contact tracing

Arkoosh said restaurants and businesses are being monitored for compliance to orders in the Green Phase. Residents who see restaurants disregarding guidance are encouraged to report the business to county health officials by emailing covid19@montcopa.org.

The commissioner said inspectors will investigate reports and close restaurants if they're caught being noncompliant twice.

All reports are kept anonymous, she said.

Rental Assistance

On Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered that almost all evictions and foreclosures in Pennsylvania be postponed through the end of August.

"I am taking this action to help families know they will have a roof over their heads and a place to live while all of us fight the COVID-19 pandemic," Wolf said. "It takes one more burden off of people who are struggling and ensures that families can remain in their homes so they can protect their health and well-being."

Also, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance agency to provide financial relief for renters who qualify.

"More than 13,000 of our renters experience extreme cost burden with rent representing more than 50% of their income at any given time," Arkoosh said in a statement Monday. "We hope to help as many people as possible to stay safe and healthy in their homes during the pandemic by providing much needed economic relief."