Four more states added to Pennsylvania travel quarantine list

HARRISBURG » State health officials in Pennsylvania have added four states — including neighboring Delaware — to the travel quarantine recommendation aimed at stemming the spread of COVID-19 in the commonwealth.

Officials said people who have traveled to Delaware, Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma are being asked to selfquarantine for 14 days upon their return to Pennsylvania.

The state earlier issued the recommendation for self-quarantine for people coming to the commonwealth from 15 other states — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.

The health department also Saturday announced 17 more deaths attributed to the coronavirus, bringing the number of deaths associated with COVID-19 to 6,897.

More than 200 new reported cases in Allegheny County and more than 100 in Philadelphia were part of more than 800 additional positive cases announced, bringing the statewide total to more than 94,600 reported cases.

The number of infections is thought to be far higher than the state’s confirmed case count because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple of weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are at higher risk of more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.