What to Know
- The Health Department is investigating a coronavirus outbreak at the CityReach Philly Church on 6814 Torresdale Avenue after at least nine members tested positive for COVID-19.
- The church ceased all in-person services on Aug. 13.
- The health department interviewed six of the church members and is working to identify those who were in contact with them.
The city’s health department is investigating a coronavirus outbreak at a church in Philadelphia’s Tacony neighborhood.
At least nine members of the CityReach Philly Church on 6814 Torresdale Avenue tested positive for COVID-19, the health department announced Wednesday.
The Health Department believes the number of infected people at the church is higher than the confirmed number.
The nine church members are from at least five different households. The first person showed symptoms on Aug. 6, according to the health department.
In-person services at the church have been suspended since Aug. 13. The health department interviewed six of the church members and is working to identify those who were in contact with them.
Philadelphia is currently under a modified Green Phase, meaning religious services are allowed but attendance is limited to 25 people at the most with everyone required to wear masks while remaining at least six feet apart. No choirs or group singing are allowed.
The health department recommends anyone who attended CityReach Philly Church this month to quarantine themselves for 14 days and monitor for any symptoms.
A spokesperson for CityReach said the church followed all safety and cleaning guidelines when they had in-person services, including sanitizing stations, mandatory masks and social distancing. The spokesperson also confirmed they stopped all in-person services on Aug. 13 and moved to an exclusively online format.
“As we continue to monitor the well-being of our congregants, we welcome your prayers for healing and recovery,” the spokesperson wrote.
“We continue to place our faith in an all powerful God who will carry through this and any other pandemic.”
CLICK here for a list of testing sites and here for the latest information on Philadelphia’s COVID-19 plan.
