COVID-19 cases and tests, over time. Source: PA Department of Health
New COVID-19 diagnoses leveled off in Pennsylvania over the past week, though fatalities continued to rise sharply.
Since last Friday, the commonwealth recorded an average of 9,803 new cases per day, according to the state Department of Health.
This compares to an average of 10,204 new daily cases last week and 7,855, 6,429, 5,914 and 4,348 new cases per day for the prior four weeks, respectively. Until this past week, the average weekly case rate had been generally rising since late September.
The department also reports that testing has increased substantially over this time (see chart).
Locally, diagnosed cases are now as follows since the pandemic began:
- Adams County: 3,406 cases (prior Friday, 2,792)
- Cumberland County: 8,555 cases (prior Friday, 7,182)
- Dauphin County: 11,780 cases (prior Friday, 10,133)
- Franklin County: 7,293 cases (prior Friday, 6,229)
- Lancaster County: 23,951 cases (prior Friday, 21,192)
- Lebanon County: 7,469 cases (prior Friday, 6,613)
- Perry County: 1,283 cases (prior Friday, 1,018)
- York County: 19,039 cases (prior Friday, 15,879)
Today, the department reported 9,320 newly positive cases throughout Pennsylvania for the past 24 hours ending at midnight. The positivity rate statewide now stands at 16.2%, compared to 14.4% and 11.7% for the two weeks prior.
With today’s update, 538,655 Pennsylvanians have now been diagnosed with the coronavirus, an increase of 68,621 over the past week, according to the health department. Active cases number 212,880. Currently, 6,209 people are hospitalized in PA with coronavirus, compared to 5,852 last Friday, and 1,246 of those patients are in intensive care.
Statewide, Philadelphia County continues to have the most confirmed cases with 79,971 total cases. Allegheny County ranks second with 44,684 cases, and Montgomery County is third statewide with 30,755 cases.
While new cases numbers leveled off somewhat this past week, fatalities from the disease continued to rise.
The health department today reported an additional 1,373 deaths since last Friday, meaning that 13,608 Pennsylvanians have died from the disease since March. Fatalities totaled 1,122, 879, 595 and 465 over the prior four weeks, respectively.
Around central PA, COVID-19 fatalities now stand as follows since the pandemic began:
- Adams County: 61 deaths (prior Friday, 53)
- Cumberland County: 245 deaths (prior Friday, 207)
- Dauphin County: 269 deaths (prior Friday, 235)
- Franklin County: 180 deaths (prior Friday, 158)
- Lancaster County: 648 deaths (prior Friday, 582)
- Lebanon County: 138 deaths (prior Friday, 128)
- Perry County: 21 deaths (prior Friday, 16)
- York County: 327 deaths (prior Friday, 287)
PA nursing homes and personal care facilities have been particularly hard hit by the virus. Of total deaths, 8,047, or 59.1%, have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities, according to the health department.
In nursing and personal care homes, there have been 46,545 resident cases of COVID-19, and 8,514 cases among employees, for a total of 55,059 at 1,421 distinct facilities in all 67 counties, according to the health department.
In addition, about 17,480 of total cases in PA are in health care workers.
Statewide, 3,657,529 individuals have had coronavirus tests, with 3,118,874 people testing negative, according to the state health department. Last Friday, the state reported that 3,479,544 people had been tested for the virus.
The state reports a total of 6,677,733 PCR tests, which includes many people, such as health care workers, who have been tested more than once.
The health department 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.
- Wear a mask whenever out of your house.
For more information, visit the PA Department of Health’s COVID-19 website.
Currently, we are providing a COVID-19 update weekly, each Friday, or as breaking news warrants.
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