WARREN, Pa. — The COVID-19 virus has officially arrived in Warren County.

“We have been notified of our first positive COVID-19 patient in Warren, Pa.,” Warren General Hospital CEO Rick Allen said Wednesday morning. “This patient came to our emergency department and is not an inpatient.”

The patient is self-quarantined at home and is being monitored. Further information about the patient is not being released.

“All parties who have been in contact have been informed and appropriate next steps have been taken,” Allen said.

The hospital takes samples for testing, then sends those to Pittsburgh for resulting, Allen said. That is a recent change.

The former testing location was in California. The turnaround time for test results has improved from six to seven days to two to three days.

A tent has been erected at the hospital’s emergency entrance – entrance E.

“All emergency room patients will be screened through this tent,” Allen said.

Patients will be screened for COVID-19. Routine initial medical evaluations will also be made at the tent.

No COVID-19 testing will be done, samples will not be taken, at the tent. “Warren General Hospital is not a routine walk-up center,” Allen said. “If you’re sick or have the flu, stay home, call your primary care physician.

“COVID-19 tests continue to be in very limited supply,” Allen said. “Only those with severe symptoms will be tested for COVID-19.”

The hospital has close to 1,000 tests on back order. “We are trying to chase down every resource or distributor for the COVID-19 swabs and kits,” Allen said.