Drive-thru

said Arkoosh, adding the woman had direct contact with a previously identified presumptive positive individual in the county and contact tracing is completed.

Arkoosh continued to reinforce the “social distancing and mitigation measures” recommended by health officials to help prevent the spread of the virus. To emphasize the importance of those measures the commissioners pointed to statistics regarding the number of those who are quarantined as a result of the contact tracing being conducted on those who test presumptive positive.

According to Arkoosh, on March 13 there were 229 people in quarantine in the county. The number of quarantined increased to 416 on March 16 and on Tuesday the number of quarantined people in the county increased to 471.

“We continue to advise people to isolate in their homes but we have to remember there are people who do not have a stable place to call home,” Lawrence said. “So, our emergency shelters remain fully operational.”

Gale said county citizens can stay up-to-date on critical information during this public health emergency by signing up for the ReadyMontco alert system for free at ReadyMontco.org and receive alerts by phone, text or email.

The commissioners were joined at the news conference by Dr. Alvin Wang, regional EMS medical director, and Dr. Brenda Weis, administrator of the Office of Public Health.

The commissioners said limited county and court operations will resume on Wednesday.

“For any employee or member of the public that must come to our buildings please be sure to practice safe distancing, good hand hygiene and know that our buildings are all under an enhanced cleaning protocol to assist in minimizing risk,” Arkoosh said. “As this public emergency evolves, there may be changes to the public service schedule.”

The human services center’s Lansdale, Pottstown and Willow Grove offices will remain closed to the public. One Montgomery Plaza, across the street from the Norristown courthouse, will be open for Domestic Relations and Orphans’ Court filings only.

“Our goal is to provide as many county and court services as possible without putting any county employees or members of the public at risk. We are taking these steps to meet our responsibility to minimize the transmission and spread of the virus,” Arkoosh explained.

Passport services at the courthouse are suspended for the time being, officials said. The Recorder of Deeds Office is working with state officials to extend notary expiration dates, Arkoosh said.

“Correctional facility visits are cancelled,” Arkoosh reminded citizens.