Philadelphia could be entering ‘dangerous period’ as COVID-19 cases increase, Dr. Farley says

Contact tracing efforts show households and social gatherings are spreading the disease. Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley warns the city could be entering a dangerous period. FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson reports.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley says every zip code in Philly has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases this past week. He warns the city could be entering a dangerous period.

Contact tracing efforts show households and social gatherings are spreading the disease. Health leaders say 17 percent of the people who tested positive said they had been working in an office

“Any setting indoors when people are close together not wearing masks such as the time when they are getting together over lunch, it’s gonna be a high-risk setting and workplaces are something we're concerned about right now,” Farley said.

Farley notes the city is seeing the highest case count since mid-May.

The health commissioner says while one reason the numbers are increasing is due to more testing. The percent of tests coming back positive is also increasing.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced 268 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, which brings the number of confirmed cases to 40,704.

The Department of Public Health confirmed eight additional deaths in Philadelphia. This brings the number of residents who have succumbed to the virus in Philadelphia to 1,849.

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