Montco Coronavirus: 416 Quarantined, Possible Community Spread

NORRISTOWN, PA — As coronavirus continues spreading around Montgomery County, the source of two of Monday's six new positives in the county is not known, authorities said. However, Commissioner Val Arkoosh noted that the development of possible community spread in the county is "not surprising."

In addition, a total of 416 Montgomery County residents are now in self-quarantine after coming into contact with someone who had the virus. Thus far, 17 of those people are showing symptoms, officials said.

>>Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

The number quarantined rose from 229 as of last Friday, March 13.

"It's fair to say that, given what we've seen in other countries, at some point we would see community spread of coronavirus in Montgomery County," Arkoosh said during Monday's daily press briefing. "It is not surprising that now we're in week two with 30 cases, that we may have a case or two or three where we are not able to connect that person back to a presumptive positive."

The new cases Monday brought the county's total to 30. One of the newly infected individuals, a 43-year-old man from Worcester, has been hospitalized. Another is the first child in Montgomery County to come down with the virus.

The source of the infection for two cases, both the Worcester man and a 36-year-old woman from Lower Providence Township, is unknown.

>>2-Year-Old Girl In Montgomery County Has Coronavirus

Expected community spread is not cause for alarm beyond the precautions that officials are already urging all residents to exercise: stay home whenever possible, wash your hands frequently, and help "flatten the curve" by limiting the number of people you come into contact with.

"It's been inspiring seeing the community step up," Montgomery County Commissioner Ken Lawrence said, noting the efforts of residents businesses to come together to fight the virus.

>>Montgomery County Shuts Down Courts, Offices Through Tuesday

Gov. Wolf ordered all non-essential businesses statewide to close on Monday. As of Sunday evening, that order had been limited to just five counties.

The exact total of cases statewide is constantly fluctuating, and was at 76 Monday afternoon.