This is a message from Allegheny Alerts.

The Allegheny County Health Department today announced that there are now 27 positive cases of COVID-19 in Allegheny County. Of those, five individuals are hospitalized with the remainder in self-isolation at home. Contact tracing, including information gathering, on these cases continues.

Similar to what has been seen in other states and other countries, the number of those testing positive will continue to rise as testing increases. The goal here is to slow community spread as much as possible and to reduce spread to high risk groups through careful mitigation efforts. ACHD testing continues for specific high-risk individuals – those with known contact, health care workers, first responders and those in high risk categories.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough and shortness of breath, please stay at home and contact your primary-care provider to determine if you need to be tested for COVID-19. If you need to seek immediate medical care, please call 9-1-1 for assistance, or phone ahead before going to a doctor’s office or emergency department to allow staff at these locations to prepare for your arrival.

Anyone having questions or seeking additional information is encouraged to call the 24/7 COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-856-2774. Language services are available.

Finally, please stay safe by staying apart. Please reach out to your friends and family through modern technology – and to neighbors who may need a helping hand – especially older individuals who are remaining at their homes. It is important that we work together and remain both realistic and optimistic.