Gov. Wolf, 4 Other Governors Hold Emergency COVID-19 Meeting

HARRISBURG, PA — Gov. Tom Wolf attended an emergency summit of regional governors over the weekend to discuss the escalating coronavirus pandemic.

The meeting, which occurred Sunday via video conference, was organized by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and also attended by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and Delaware Gov. John Carney.

Cuomo said the governors discussed policies as "we enter the next stage of the COVID crisis."

No official announcement regarding new restrictions was made following the meeting.

Lyndsay Kensinger, the governor's press secretary, said topics discussed during the meeting ranged from travel (including for college students returning for the holidays), mask mandates, gatherings, testing, education and sharing resources, including PPE.

"These discussions will continue," Kensinger said in an email to Patch.

Cuomo had previously said the meeting will focus on potentially expanding upon current restrictions on restaurants, bars and gyms, as well as limitations on gatherings, NJ.com reported.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Gov. Murphy announced that the Garden State will reduce indoor and outdoor gathering size limits. In New Jersey, limits on indoor gatherings will go from 25 to 10 people beginning Tuesday, and outdoor gatherings will be reduced from 500 to 150 people beginning on Nov. 23.

The emergency meeting of governors comes as infections are spiking across the state and the nation.

On Saturday, Pennsylvania reported 5,551 cases, once again breaking its own record for most cases reported in a single day. The previous record had been just set the day before, when 5,531 additional cases were reported Friday.

Also Saturday, the state said there were 50 new deaths, for a total of 9,274 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has had a total of 259,938 cases, with 69 percent of people infected now recovered.

Hospitalizations continue to go up.

On Friday, there were 2,314 people hospitalized in Pennsylvania for coronavirus. As of Monday, there are 3,375 hospitalizations, according to state data. The number of patients on ventilators increased from 226 on Friday to 269 as of Monday morning.

In Philadelphia, officials said Friday they are planning new restrictions in response to the rise in cases. Specific details about the changes in restrictions are still being finalized, officials said in an announcement. A Monday afternoon press conference has been scheduled.

This article originally appeared on the Across Pennsylvania Patch