Mar 13, 2020 3 min read

Editor’s note: Check back for details in this developing story.

The first presumptive case of the coronavirus, known as COVID-19, has been reported in Washington County, according to Diana Irey Vaughan, chairman of the Washington County Commissioners.

The patient, a Washington County resident, went to a physician’s office after experiencing flu-like symptoms, the commissioner said Friday afternoon.

She does not know which hospital the patient was admitted to, but both Washington and Mon Valley hospitals said early Friday evening that they had no presumptive or confirmed cases at their hospitals.

Earlier Friday, Allegheny and Fayette counties declared states of emergency.

The Washington County Board of Commissioners has not yet declared a state of emergency, and county offices remain open. However, Irey Vaughan asked residents to postpone visits to county offices if they are not urgent.

The county is considering temporarily closing senior citizens centers.

“I think, above all, we need to tell (Washington County residents) not to panic,” said Irey Vaughan.

Commissioners and the Public Safety Department are advising people to continue to take precautions including washing hands frequently, maintaining six feet distance from others, avoiding large gatherings, and staying home if they are sick.

Irey Vaughan said she did not have any additional information about the patient.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania reported progress Friday in the ability to test those with symptoms of coronavirus in efforts to slow the spread of the contagious illness.

Some hospitals now have the ability to test for the virus in-house as the number of cases climbed to 41 Friday, all but one of which were in southeastern Pennsylvania, state Health Department Secretary Rachel L. Levine said.

“The capacity to test has come a long way in two weeks. We’ve relaxed some of the criteria,” Levine said during an afternoon briefing on the pandemic.

Levine urged those with symptoms of the virus – a cough, temperature above 100 degrees and shortness of breath – to call their primary care physician. Those without a physician should call a hospital emergency room to give its workers time to prepare for their arrival.

She said a physician can order a test at a commercial laboratory without going through the state. All medical insurances will pay the cost of the test, she said.

There also was no backlog of tests in Pennsylvania, Levine said.

“This is really a rapidly changing situation,” she said.

More than 300 people in Pennsylvania had been tested for the virus by early Friday afternoon. The number of tests that proved negative stood at 140. There were 130 tests either on their way to a lab or being processed at a lab, Levine said.

At this point, the state health department has confirmed 35 presumptive positive cases and six positive cases.

She continued to recommend frequent hand washing as a way to slow the spread of coronavirus.

“Please stay calm,” Levine said.