More than 14,000 people in Pennsylvania have now tested positive for COVID-19, as the state today reported another significant increase in the caseload, as well as a substantial increase in fatalities.
The state Department of Health today said that 1,579 new cases were detected as of midnight. In all, 14,559 Pennsylvanians have tested positive for the virus.
The department also reported a significant rise in the death toll from the disease. Another 78 people have died, the highest daily number of fatalities yet recorded.
As of today, 240 people have died from the disease in PA compared to 162 people yesterday, the department stated.
Locally, Lancaster County now has 14 COVID-19-related fatalities, three more than yesterday. York County now has two deaths, one more than yesterday. Deaths in other midstate counties were unchanged: two in Cumberland County and one each in Dauphin and Perry counties.
At her daily press briefing, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said that the jump in reported deaths was partially due to a reporting lag following the weekend.
“Today’s increase in deaths is due to a lag time into our system,” she said.
The virus now has spread to all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.
Locally, Dauphin County now has 155 confirmed cases, Cumberland County has 77 cases, Lancaster County has 490 cases, York County has 218 cases, Lebanon County has 145 cases, Adams County has 28 cases and Perry County has nine cases.
Philadelphia County continues to have the most confirmed cases with 4,012 cases, followed by Montgomery County with 1,359 cases. The two counties also have reported the most deaths from the disease: 58 and 30, respectively.
The increase in cases reverses a three-day trend of lower new-case totals. On Saturday, the commonwealth recorded 1,597 new cases. On Sunday, there were 1,493 new cases and 1,470 on Monday.
Statewide, 91,278 coronavirus tests have been performed, with 76,719 people testing negative, according to the state health department. Yesterday, the state reported that 83,854 people had been tested for the virus.
Of the patients who have tested positive to date, the age breakdown is as follows, according to the health department:
- Less than 1 percent are aged 0-4
- Nearly 1 percent are aged 5-12
- 1 percent are aged 13-18
- 7 percent are aged 19-24
- Nearly 42 percent are aged 25-49
- Nearly 29 percent are aged 50-64
- Nearly 20 percent are aged 65 or older.
Most of the patients hospitalized are 65 or older, as are most of the reported deaths, according to the state. There have been no pediatric deaths to date.
“If you must go out, please limit it to as few trips as possible and wear a mask to protect not only yourself, but other people as well,” Levine said. “We need all Pennsylvanians to heed these efforts to protect our vulnerable Pennsylvanians, and also our healthcare workers and frontline responders.”
In addition, the Pennsylvania State Police have issued 14 more warnings for failure to comply with Gov. Tom Wolf’s order that “non life-sustaining” businesses shut their physical locations. In all, the police have now issued 205 warnings, but have not yet issued any citations. The police have issued one citation to an individual for failure to company with Wolf’s “state-at-home order,” while issuing six warnings.
Levine continued to emphasize that Pennsylvanians should do the following:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
- Clean surfaces frequently.
- Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
For more information, visit the PA Department of Health’s COVID-19 website.
