DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - Testing of people in Bucks County who attended a private gathering with someone later diagnosed with coronavirus found no evidence of the virus, officials said.
The Bucks County Health Department announced the findings Friday night after a day of anxiety that included the closure of five schools in the Central Bucks School District and an announcement from Gov. Tom Wolf that two people in Pennsylvania were presumed to have confirmed cases.
The two presumed positive cases -- one in Delaware County and the other in Wayne County -- were not connected to the school closures in the Central Bucks School District.
Schools Superintendent John Kopicki ordered the schools closed Friday as a precaution against the spread of the virus, COVID-19. The district said it learned Thursday night that a person from out of state, who is now known to have coronavirus, attended a recent private gathering at a home in central Bucks County.
The gathering was held a little less than two weeks ago.
Present at the event were children and staff who attend or work at Central Bucks High School South, Tohickon and Tamanend middle schools, and Butler and Titus elementary schools.
Bucks County health officials said they had identified everyone at the gathering and checked them for symptoms of illness, such as cough, fever and shortness of breath. They said a small number of people had "cold-like symptoms" and were tested for COVID-19 at a state lab in Exton, Chester County.
All test results came back negative, said Dr. David Damsker, director of the Bucks County Health Department.
All will be medically cleared provided nobody develops symptoms before their 14-day incubation period ends on Monday, health officials said.
“We need to remain vigilant during the rest of the weekend. If all goes well, I would hope we can re-open schools on Monday,” Damsker said in a news release.
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