Philadelphia COVID-19 cases top 6,000; 176 deaths

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced 234 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 novel coronavirus in Philadelphia on Sunday.

That brings the number of confirmed cases in the city to 6,386.

The Department of Health said this lower daily count is partially because some labs do not report results over the weekend.

The Department of Public Health again noted clusters of positive cases in congregate settings, including nursing homes, behavioral health facilities and the Department of Prisons.

Nine additional inmates have tested positive. The current total of positive cases at correctional facilities to 69.

The Department of Public Health confirmed 16 additional fatalities in Philadelphia. This brings the number of residents who have succumbed to the virus in Philadelphia to 176.

Eighty-nine of the 176 deaths are in long-term care facility residents. Of the 176 deaths, 114 (65%) were of people over age 70.

The Department of Public Health reports 693 patients with COVID-19 are currently being treated in Philadelphia hospitals, with a total of 1,276 people hospitalized in the region (including Philadelphia).

Meal Distributions Postponed

The City-supported food sites and the School District's 49 student meal distribution sites will be closed on Monday, April 13, due to expected thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain.

Meals and food boxes will be available instead on Tuesday, April 14.

The regular Monday and Thursday distribution schedules will resume on Thursday, April 16.

Locations of the City's food sites and the School District's student meal distribution sites can be found here.

This postponement applies to all sites, even those that distribute indoors. The warehouse will still be open, and volunteers welcome, for preparation of food boxes.

Testing Sites

The City-run location in Center City continues to serve those who are over the age of 50 and are displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 coronavirus, as well as health care workers who are displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 coronavirus. The site is available by appointment only and a referral is required. Those who meet the criteria and want a test can call (267) 491-5870 to obtain a referral.

There are also more than 20 private testing sites across the city run by hospital systems and other organizations.

Remaining testing kits from the Citizens Bank Park testing site, now closed, are being redistributed to other sites to expand their capacity, and any personal protective equipment (PPE) will be used to support hospitals and long-term care facilities.

Monday's weather

As mentioned above, the National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for Philadelphia and surrounding areas for tomorrow, April 13, from 6 a.m to 7 p.m. Wind gusts are forecast to reach 50 to 60 m.p.h.

High winds can bring down tree limbs or power lines. Know how to be prepared for power outages and how to report them with info from PECO.

Recycling Resumes

The Streets Department's revised collection schedule continues. Recycling collections will resume this week, beginning tomorrow, Monday, April 13 with every other week collections through May 15 or further. Regular trash collections will continue on or as close to its normal schedule as possible. Residents should expect some delays as the health crisis continues to have an impact on employee attendance.

Residents who put out their trash and recycling tomorrow, Monday, should be aware of the heavy winds that are forecast (see above), particularly since they are putting out two weeks of recycling.