Several staff members at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill have tested positive for COVID-19, President of Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill William “Bill” Reppy said in a statement Tuesday.

The number of staff members testing positive was not provided.

“LVH-Schuylkill is open, operations are normal, and we are accepting patients. Like many hospitals around the country have faced due to the coronavirus, several of our staff members that care for patients have tested positive for COVID-19.

They must now quarantine and as such we need to make staffing adjustments. As a result, and as standard protocol, LVH-Schuylkill has transferred some patients to other LVHN locations to ensure the continuity of care,” Reppy said.

On Wednesday night Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH) - Schuylkill released a statement “alerting the community about COVID-19 actively circulating in Schuylkill County.”

LVH is conducting COVID-19 testing among staff, physicians and others who interact with staff at Schuylkill locations.

As a result of positive COVID-19 tests among both patients and LVH - Schuylkill staff, the hospital is limiting visitation.

Effective Thursday, at noon, we are limiting visitation to only the following visitors:

• Visitation of a patient nearing the end of life

• One coach or partner per patient on labor and delivery unit

• One parent/guardian at a time for pediatric patients

• One visitor to accompany patients for hospital discharge

• One visitor for patients undergoing same-day surgeries and procedures

• One visitor per patient in the Emergency Department

• No child under age 12 is permitted to visit in the hospital.

For all outpatient appointments, one visitor is permitted to accompany a patient for an outpatient appointment, procedure, same-day surgery or LVPG office visit.

The hospitals will make reasonable accommodations for pediatric visits, provided any sibling visitors are in good health. Visitors allowed by exception must be in good health and are subject to a health screening.

“LVH - Schuylkill leadership is not aware of any confirmed caregiver-to-patient exposure because of the use of required PPE precautions. However, patients who had contact with any staff member who has tested positive for COVID-19 are being offered testing,” the news release said.

The hospital has two locations in Pottsville, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill E. Norwegian St, 700 E. Norwegian St and Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill S. Jackson St., 420 S. Jackson St.