HEATHER STAUFFER | Staff WriterLancaster General Hospital said Wednesday it is treating a patient who has tested positive for COVID-19 in what is the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Lancaster County.
The Lancaster city hospital, which is part of Penn Medicine, in a written statement said "most normal operations" were continuing at the facility today. The hospital did not identify the patient or provide an age, occupation, hometown or details about the patient's condition or severity of symptoms.
It is unclear when the hospital began treating the patient.
The number of cases confirmed in Pennsylvania by midnight Tuesday is 133, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. About two-thirds of confirmed cases have been in southeastern Pennsylvania.
The case count issued at noon did not show a case here, either because the person lives in another county or because the confirmation wasn't received by midnight Tuesday.
County or municipal health departments are permitted to release as much patient information as they deem necessary to the public. Chester County has one, and has chosen to maintain a map showing the age and gender of each person who tests positive, which municipality they live in and whether there was a known exposure to another case.
Lancaster County does not have a county or municipal health department, so is defaulting to the state Department of Health. In the past, the department has reported only whether the patient was an adult or child; if they were at the hospital or in isolation at home; if there was known exposure and whether it was travel-related; and if the patient was in critical condition – so far only one has been, and no deaths have been reported.
But in an email Wednesday, spokesman Nate Wardle said because of the volume of cases now being reported, the department is no longer indicating whether an individual is in the hospital or if there was exposure to a known case. Additionally, he said, it is no longer doing in-depth contact tracing, as its focus is shifting from containment to mitigation.
Asked how many tests were done so far in Lancaster County, he answered that the department does not have “great visibility” on that number, “due to the fact that many of them are not going from our lab anymore.”
Lancaster General said it was following federal guidance from cancel elective surgeries. It is extending those cancellations for two weeks, tightening up its visitation policies and screening patients and their companions when they enter the building.
"The safety and protection of all patients and staff remain our top priority," the hospital's statement read.
The hospital's statement says it "is caring for this patient using all precautions recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."
"This includes utilizing infection-control guidelines designed for both optimal medical care of patients with infectious diseases and the protection of staff, other patients and visitors," it says.
A look inside a COVID-19 screening tent in Ephrata [photos]
A registered nurse works on a computer at the coronavirus screening tent, set up outside of WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, Saturday, March 14. At noon on Saturday, five people had been screened for COVID-19.
Hospital beds are seen inside of the coronavirus screening tent set up outside of WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, which opened to the public on March 13. The screening tent will be open 24/7 beginning on March 16.
Disinfectant wipes are seen on a cart beside one of the two beds at the coronavirus screening tent outside of WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, Saturday, March 14, 2020. The screening tent, which opened on March 13, will be a 24/7 operation beginning on March 16.
Drawers holding N95 masks, goggles and face shields is seen at the coronavirus screening tent outside of WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, Saturday, March 14, 2020. The screening center opened on March 13 and will be a 24/7 screening area beginning on March 16.
A member of WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital's disaster response team works at a computer in the COVID-19 screening center in Ephrata, March 14, 2020. The screening center will be open 24/7 beginning on March 16.
The coronavirus screening tent set up outside WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital will begin operating around the clock on March 16, according to hospital personnel. As of noon on March 14, five people have been screened for COVID-19 since the tent opened to the public.
Procedure masks are seen on the registration table at the coronavirus COVID-19 screening tent set up outside WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, Saturday, March 14, 2020. Beginning on March 16, the screening center will be open 24/7.
The coronavirus screening tent set up outside WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital will begin operating around the clock on March 16, according to hospital personnel. As of noon on March 14, five people have been screened for COVID-19 since the tent opened to the public.
A coronavirus test kit is seen inside the screening test setup outside WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, Saturday, March 14, 2020. The screening center said that as of noon on Saturday, five people have been tested for COVID-19, but there has not been a positive case of the virus in Lancaster County yet.
A coronavirus test kit is seen inside the screening test setup outside WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, Saturday, March 14, 2020. The screening center said that as of noon on Saturday, five people have been tested for COVID-19, but there has not been a positive case of the virus in Lancaster County yet.
Signs outside of WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital alerts patients and visitors to immediately tell hospital staff if they have been to China, Iran, Italy, Japan or South Korea in the past 30 days, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Saturday, March 13, 2020.
A sign posted on the door to WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital tell patients that they should alert staff immediately if they have symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath, seen here Saturday, March 14, 2020.
Beginning on March 16, this coronavirus screening tent will be open 24/7. The screening tent is set up outside of WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital and opened on March 13.
Employees set up a temporary outdoor patient screening and testing area for patients, who may have been exposed to the COVID-19 coronavirus, at Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital Friday March 13, 2020.
Employees at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital set up an outdoor patient screening and testing area for patients who may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus, Friday, March 13, 2020.
Employees set up a temporary outdoor patient screening and testing area for patients, who may have been exposed to the COVID-19 coronavirus, at Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital Friday March 13, 2020.
Employees set up a temporary outdoor patient screening and testing area for patients, who may have been exposed to the COVID-19 coronavirus, at Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital Friday March 13, 2020.
Employees set up a temporary outdoor patient screening and testing area for patients, who may have been exposed to the COVID-19 coronavirus, at Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital Friday March 13, 2020.
