As Butler County sees another rise in COVID-19 cases, officials have selected a location for Butler Health System's off-site facility.

County commissioners confirmed Friday afternoon that the Broad Street Elementary School in Butler will serve as an off-site BHS facility, if needed.

“The county in collaboration with the school district, they're taking the initiative to get this done for Butler Health System,” said Commissioner Leslie Osche.

As of noon Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 1,404 additional positive cases of the coronavirus since the last update Wednesday, bringing the statewide total to 8,420 — including six new cases in Butler County.

The report also said 47,698 patients statewide tested negative for the virus as of Thursday.

Butler County's six new cases bring its total confirmed cases to 75, but its death toll remains at two, according to the state update.

As of Friday morning, Butler Memorial Hospital reported 18 inpatients, six with suspected cases of COVID-19 and 12 with confirmed cases.

Six of those 18 patients are being treated in the hospital's intensive care unit.

BHS also provided statistics for Clarion Hospital, which has seven inpatients, six with suspected cases of COVID-19 and one with a confirmed case. Three of the seven patients are being treated in the ICU.

BHS also continues to test people for the virus daily. Through Thursday, the hospital has run 1,360 tests, with 1,065 of those being done at its outdoor facility on Brady Street in Butler.

Testing has yielded 62 positive results and roughly 386 results are pending.

Site in city

BHS CEO Ken DeFurio said the hospital does not need the off-site facility at this time, but he appreciated the support of everyone involved in this project. He said he hopes the facility is not needed, but glad that it will be there in case it is needed.

“They are all working together to support Butler Health System as we fight the coronavirus pandemic,” DeFurio said. “We at BHS are so very grateful.”

County officials said the school district sent blueprints for the school to the county Thursday, and the district's architect has already worked together a design for the facility.

“We had a whole team down at Broad Street this morning, walking through the building with the school district's architect,” Osche said.

The designs would include a shower facility and a specialized locker room meant for staff to “gown up” in personal protective equipment in a sterilized environment.

“It's designed to protect the staff as well as the patients,” Osche said.

The county's Emergency Management team has been working find beds, cots and disposable bedding. Negative air systems and internet networks will also need to be installed.

“We had to check all the exits, the entrances and the ramps and make sure everything was conducive to bringing people into and around the hospital,” said Commissioner Kim Geyer. “The building is in excellent condition and we're grateful to be working from that standpoint.”

Geyer commended her fellow commissioners, Butler superintendent Brian White and everyone involved for making this facility a possibility for use in this crisis and future ones.

“Everybody is all coming together and working toward one common goal and that's preparing our county that's best for our citizens living here,” she said.

County situation

Butler County continues to be one of the hardest hit counties in Western Pennsylvania.

According to the state report, Butler County's largest neighbor to the south, Allegheny County, reports 476 confirmed cases, a rise of 57 cases. Allegheny County's death toll also remains at two.

Based on the state's report, data for the surrounding counties are as follows: Westmoreland, 110 confirmed cases; Beaver, 65 confirmed cases and two deaths; Lawrence, 19 confirmed cases and two deaths; Armstrong, 11 confirmed cases; Mercer, 10 confirmed cases; Clarion, four confirmed cases; and Venango, three confirmed cases.

As of Wednesday, BHS reported Clarion Hospital has tested 257 patients to date, with 209 tests done through its outdoor facility. Through its tests, Clarion Hospital identified three confirmed results with 155 results pending.

Supplies, donations

Spokeswoman Jana Panther said the system continues to monitor its supplies, and right now they have enough. She said the system will continue accepting donations, which can be arranged through covid19donations@butlerhealthsystem.org.

Slippery Rock University has made a donation of supplies to Butler Memorial Hospital, Allegheny Health Network's Grove City Hospital and the Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Team.

“As members of our community, we're fortunate to have these supplies and to be able put them to good use by delivering them to local health care providers,” said William Behre, SRU president.

Behre hand-delivered two shipments of supplies to AHN Grove City that included 200 protective goggles from the Student Government Association Bookstore and 200 surgical masks with face shields from SRU's physician assistant studies program.

A case of 100 gowns were supplied to Slippery Rock's fire and EMS departments for responders to wear on emergency calls with patients showing COVID-19 symptoms.

SRU's Safety Management Department provided more than 600 items to Butler Memorial Hospital, including N95 surgical masks.

“Our philosophy is that every person on a worksite should be able to leave in the same condition in which they entered,” said Joe Cali, professor and chairman of the Safety Management Department.

Justin Zackal, a communication specialist for SRU, contributed to this story.