CHESTER COUNTY, PA — Two more positive cases of coronavirus were found in Chester County late Monday, bringing the county's total up to six, officials announced.

The news comes as Gov. Wolf ordered shut downs of nonessential businesses and schools across the state, bringing activity in Chester County to a grinding halt. Sign up for Patch news alerts.

Although Chester County did not discover its first positive case until late last week, it's proximity to Montgomery County, which has been the epicenter of the virus in Pennsylvania, meant that it was a matter of when, not if, the virus would arrive here. The victims include a 53-year-old East Marlborough man, a 51-year-old East Marlborough woman, a 54-year-old East Goshen man, a 20-year-old East Goshen woman, a 30-year-old North Coventry man, and a 56-year-old West Pikeland woman.



Numerous others are being tested. Meanwhile in nearby Montgomery County, there are more than 400 residents in self-quarantine who may have had direct contact with someone with coronavirus. The source of infection for two of Monday's positives could not be traced, meaning that it's possible that community spread of the virus has begun there.