Allegheny County Issues Stay-At-Home Advisory

PITTSBURGH, PA — Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen on Wednesday issued a stay-at-home health advisory. Bogen said people they should not leave their homes except to go to work, school, to get groceries and medical supplies. They not not invite guests into their homes, but professionals such as child care workers are permitted.

She also advised families to cancel Thanksgiving this year and celebrate the holiday virtually.

Bogen warned that if the advisory is ignored and the alarming spread of the virus continues, "I will have to enact official public health orders," presumably making the stay-at-home advisory mandatory.

At a news conference, Bogen noted that the spike in coronavirus cases has risen from 800 a week in October to 2,500 this week.

County Executive Rich Fitzgerald noted the spike can be traced to late October, when people attended Halloween parties. He voiced concern that the coming week runs the risk of people dangerously gathering at Thanksgiving, on Black Friday and the beginning of hunting season.

"We really need people to stay at home," he said. "We've let our guard down down and let the numbers escalate to a dangerous level."

Providing ample evidence of community spread of coronavirus throughout the county, the COVID-19 test positivity rate reported Wednesday in the county was 18 percent. That's nearly twice the percentage rate of the most-recently reported state positivity percentage.

The county health department reported 620 new cases of COVID-19, with 506 confirmed cases and 114 probably. Those 506 cases were confirmed from among 2,797 coronavirus tests - an 18 percent positivity rate.

To put that number in context, state health officials announced Monday that Pennsylvania's positive test rate has jumped to 9.6 percent based on data collected through last Friday. State test positivity results are released weekly.

Epidemiologists generally agree that to control community spread of the virus, the average daily infection rate among those who are tested should not exceed 5 percent.

Community spread means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

County health department officials say that because of the sharp rise in cases, it may take the department longer to complete case investigations with people who have tested positive. They advised that those who have recently received a positive test and are waiting for a call from the department to stay home, isolate.

The department also advised those who have tested positive to notify any close contacts – people with whom they were within 6 feet or less for 15 minutes or more, with or without a mask – to get tested and quarantine for 14 days.