Health Officials Working To Ramp Up Mass Coronavirus Testing

Matt Petrillo reports.

THE FIRST CASES IN ATLANTIC ANDCAPE MAY COUNTIES WERE ANNOUNCEDTODAY AND IN DELAWARE THERE ARENOW 26 CASES.THE PHILADELPHIA HEALTHDEPARTMENT SAYS THERE ARE 16 NEWCASES OF COVID-19, AND THATBRINGS THE TOTAL TO 34 INPHILADELPHIA.HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE WORKING TORAMP UP MASS TESTING OF THEVIRUS.EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER MATTPETRILLO IS AT CITIZENS BANKPARK IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA WITHTHE VERY LATEST ON WHAT'SHAPPENING THERE.MATT?UKEE, HEALTH OFFICIALS TELLUS TESTING IS SO IMPORTANT.THIS IS PHILADELPHIA'S -- ORWILL BE PHILADELPHIA'S FIRSTMASS TESTING SITE.AUTHORITIES HOPE TO GET IT UPAND RUNNING SOON BUT TO GET ATEST, YOU HAVE TO SHOW SYMPTOMS.THIS TEST IS NOT GOING TO BEFOR PEOPLE TO JUST WALK IN.YOU NEED AN ORDER OR APRESCRIPTION FROM A PHYSICIAN TOGO TO THESE SITES.LARGE TENTS LINED THE OUTSIDEOF CITIZENS BANK PARK IN SOUTHPHILLY WHERE OFFICIALS PLAN TOOPEN A DRIVE-THROUGH TESTINGSITE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS.AS FAR AS HOW MANY PATIENTSWE CAN HANDLE, THAT'S STILL TOBE SEEN IN PART BECAUSE WE HAVETO DEAL WITH THIS QUESTION OFHOW MANY TEST KITS AREAVAILABLE.ACROSS THE BRIDGE IN CAMDENCOUNTY, CREWS THERE ARE SETTINGUP A SIMILAR TESTING SITE INBLACKWOOD.AND IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, ADRIVE-THROUGH TESTING FACILITYIS GOING UP AT TEMPLEUNIVERSITY'S AMBLER CAMPUS.IT'S EXPECTED TO OPEN NEXT WEEK.WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OURPARTNERS TO ESTABLISH ADRIVE-THROUGH TESTING LOCATIONIN UPPER DUBLIN TOWNSHIP.WE WILL BE RELEASING ADDITIONALDETAILS AS SOON AS THEY ARECONFIRMED.ONCE OPENED, THE COUNTY HAS ALIST OF CRITICAL WORK FORCEPERSONNEL, INCLUDING FIRSTRESPONDERS THAT WILL BE TESTEDFIRST.PHILADELPHIA'S TESTING SITEHERE AT BROAD AND PATTISON WILLBE FREE TO PATIENTS AND MAYORJIM KENNEY EXPECTS THAT AND THECITY'S CONTINUED TWO-WEEKNON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESS SHUTDOWNWILL HELP STOP THE SPREAD OFCOVID-19.WE ARE TAKING EVERY CREDIBLEMEASURE NECESSARY TO AGAINFLATTEN THE CURVE.CERTAINLY, THIS IS SOMETHING NOONE EXPECTED.REPORTER: AND NO WORD YETWHEN PHILADELPHIA'S MASS TESTINGSITE WILL OPEN.OFFICIALS HOPE TO HAVE THAT DONESOON.