Bucks County and New Jersey officials linking COVID-19 spike to travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Leaders in Bucks County and New Jersey are linking Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to a recent spike of positive cases in their areas.
The city is a popular beach destination and is usually crowded with vacationers during this time of year.
Bucks County Health Department Director Dr. David Damsker said 50 of the 103 recent new cases are people who traveled out-of-state, many returning from Myrtle Beach.
"Think twice before you leave for any area of the country that is currently experiencing a high prevalence of COVID-19," Damsker said.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said the state is also seeing a "small spike," mostly in part due to people coming back with the virus after attending a wedding in Myrtle Beach.
"We need to be smarter and we need to work harder. Our 14-day self-quarantine advisory for those who have come from a known coronavirus hotspot is there for a reason, to prevent flare-ups like the ones we are now seeing," Murphy said.
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The 16 states currently included in the New Jersey's travel advisory include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.
These states are also included in Pennsylvania's travel advisory except for Iowa.
Local leaders say if you must go to any states listed on the travel advisory, wear a mask, sanitize your hands frequently, avoid bars and other similar gatherings of people.
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