Mayor's Press Conference - April 27, 2020 Covid-19 Update

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Department of Public Health today announced 302 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 novel coronavirus in Philadelphia. That brings the number of confirmed cases to 12,868.

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. One additional inmate has tested positive. The current total of positive cases at correctional facilities is 68.

The Department of Public Health confirmed 12 additional fatalities in Philadelphia. This brings the number of residents who have succumbed to the virus in Philadelphia to 484. Of the 484 total deaths, 259 (54%) were long-term care facility residents.

The Department of Public Health reports 985 patients with COVID-19 are currently being treated in Philadelphia hospitals, with a total of 1,085 people hospitalized in the region (including Philadelphia).

Mayor Kenney reminded Philadelphians about the importance of adhering to the City’s Stay at Home Order and social distancing guidelines. “We are still very vulnerable to a rise in cases, and the only way to prevent it is to continue staying at home unless it’s absolutely necessary,” said the Mayor. “If you must go out, wear a mask, give plenty of space between yourself and others, and wash your hands often. The better we follow the public health guidance, the sooner we will get our lives back to normal. And I want to be very clear that the opposite is also true—ignoring the guidance will only prolong our current circumstances.”

Armed Forces Flyover: The U.S. Air Force and Navy announced in a press release that they will perform a joint flyover of New York City, Newark, Trenton, and Philadelphia tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28 at 2:00 p.m. Both the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds demonstration squadrons will honor frontline COVID-19 essential workers and responders with formation flights. The Navy and Air Force emphasize residents will be able to see the flyover from the safety of their home and should maintain all social distancing guidelines. Gathering in public spaces, landmarks, hospitals, and in large groups to view the flyover is strongly discouraged. To view tomorrow’s flight path for Philadelphia and receive additional updates, follow @AFThunderbirds on Twitter. The teams welcome and encourage viewers to tag the flyover on social media with the hashtag #AmericaStrong.

Food and Meal Sites for this Week: A reminder that the 49 Philadelphia School District student meal sites have moved to a Thursday only distribution schedule. School District student meal sites will not be open today, April 27.

- Charter school sites and Philadelphia Housing Authority student meal sites are open and operating on their usual schedule.
- The 40 City-supported food sites were open today from 10 a.m to noon. Food boxes will be available again on Thursday.
- Senior meal sites providing grab and go meals are operating as normal.
- Call 311 for food pantry information.
- For maps of food and student meal sites, visit this page.

Testing Sites: A list of available testing sites is provided on the City’s website. Click on “Where Can Someone Get Tested?” The list includes private testing sites being run by hospital systems and other organizations across the city, as well as public testing sites.If individuals are not able to get tested through their medical provider or do not have a medical provider, they can be tested at a public testing site.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health, along with the Health Federation of Philadelphia, is working with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in Philadelphia to expand testing capabilities in underserved communities. Recommended criteria for testing eligibility at the sites are:

- Age 50+ and symptomatic.
- People under 50 who are at high risk for severe illness due to chronic conditions and are symptomatic.
- Health care workers (defined broadly) who are symptomatic or are asymptomatic with close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.
- 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 [phone] to obtain a referral.