COVID-19 cases and tests, over time. Source: PA Department of Health
COVID-19 infection rates continued to soar over the past week in PA, with the average new case count now exceeding 10,000 per day.
Since last Friday, the commonwealth recorded an average of 10,204 newly diagnosed cases per day, according to the state Department of Health.
This compares to an average of 7,855 new daily cases last week and 6,429, 5,914, 4,348 and 2,633 new cases per day for the prior four weeks, respectively. This week’s totals are the highest new-case counts in PA since the pandemic began in March.
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: 2,792 cases (prior Friday, 2,292)
- Cumberland County: 7,182 cases (prior Friday, 5,973)
- Dauphin County: 10,133 cases (prior Friday, 8,618)
- Franklin County: 6,229 cases (prior Friday, 5,232)
- Lancaster County: 21,192 cases (prior Friday, 18,478)
- Lebanon County: 6,613 cases (prior Friday, 5,891)
- Perry County: 1,018 cases (prior Friday, 778)
- York County: 15,879 cases (prior Friday, 12,777)
Today, the health department reported 12,745 newly positive cases throughout Pennsylvania for the past 24 hours ending at midnight. The positivity rate statewide now stands at 14.4%. Last week, it was 11.7%.
With today’s update, 470,034 Pennsylvanians have now been diagnosed with the coronavirus, an increase of 71,434 over the past week, according to the health department. Active cases number 197,874. Currently, 5,852 people are hospitalized in PA with coronavirus, compared to 5,071 last Friday, and 1,191 are in intensive care.
Statewide, Philadelphia County continues to have the most confirmed cases with 73,836 total cases. Allegheny County ranks second with 38,029 cases, and Montgomery County is third statewide with 27,434 cases.
The health department also reported an additional 1,122 deaths since last Friday, meaning that 12,235 Pennsylvanians have died from the disease since March. Fatalities totaled 879, 595, 465 and 249 over the prior four weeks, respectively.
Around central PA, COVID-19 fatalities now stand as follows since the pandemic began:
- Adams County: 53 deaths (prior Friday, 49)
- Cumberland County: 207 deaths (prior Friday, 161)
- Dauphin County: 235 deaths (prior Friday, 224)
- Franklin County: 158 deaths (prior Friday, 128)
- Lancaster County: 582 deaths (prior Friday, 545)
- Lebanon County: 128 deaths (prior Friday, 119)
- Perry County: 16 deaths (prior Friday, 14)
- York County: 287 deaths (prior Friday, 260)
PA nursing homes and personal care facilities have been particularly hard hit by the virus. Of total deaths, 7,425, or 60.7 percent, have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities, according to the health department.
In nursing and personal care homes, there have been 42,380 resident cases of COVID-19, and 7,841 cases among employees, for a total of 50,221 at 1,381 distinct facilities in all 67 counties, according to the health department.
In addition, about 16,424 of total cases in PA are in health care workers.
Statewide, 3,479,544 individuals have had coronavirus tests, with 3,009,510 people testing negative, according to the state health department. Last Friday, the state reported that 3,291,921 people had been tested for the virus.
The state reports a total of 6,305,909 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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