PA Gov. Tom Wolf speaking about the COVID-19 emergency during a recent press event
The state Department of Health today ratcheted down its fatality count from the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the number of virus-related deaths by more than 200 people.
The department is now reporting 1,394 confirmed deaths, significantly fewer than yesterday’s count of 1,622 fatalities.
In a press conference this afternoon, health Secretary Rachel Levine said that the department lowered the number of “probable deaths . . . following further investigation.”
Recently, the department began adding “probable deaths” to its fatality data, meaning that COVID-19 is strongly suspected as a cause of death even though the person was not tested for the virus. That investigative process, Levine said, often is difficult and time-consuming and, sometimes, the state receives conflicting data from counties.
“At times, there are things we need to revise and possibly revisit,” she said. “This is one of those times.”
Around central PA, the COVID-19 fatality data now is as follows:
- Adams County: 1 death (yesterday, 2)
- Cumberland County: 7 deaths (yesterday, 6)
- Dauphin County: 16 deaths (yesterday, 13)
- Franklin County: 1 death (yesterday, 10)
- Lancaster County: 72 deaths (yesterday, 86)
- Lebanon County: 6 deaths (yesterday, 8)
- Perry County: 1 death (yesterday, 1)
- York County: 7 deaths (yesterday, 14)
Otherwise, newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases remained in line with recent trends, as the state reported 1,369 new positive cases. Yesterday, it reported 1,156 new diagnoses of the virus.
The new cases bring the statewide total to 37,053 positive cases since the pandemic began in Pennsylvania in early March.
Locally, total diagnosed cases are as follows:
- Adams County: 95 cases (yesterday, 92)
- Cumberland County: 229 cases (yesterday, 207)
- Dauphin County: 445 cases (yesterday, 422)
- Franklin County: 151 cases (yesterday, 152)
- Lancaster County: 1,359 cases (yesterday, 1,326)
- Lebanon County: 544 cases (yesterday, 535)
- Perry County: 23 cases (yesterday, 23)
- York County: 546 cases (yesterday, 531)
Philadelphia County continues to have the most confirmed cases with 10,090 cases, followed by Montgomery County with 3,395 cases. The two counties also have reported the most deaths from the disease: 271 and 204, respectively, both much lower than reported yesterday.
Nursing homes and personal care facilities have been particularly hard hit by the virus. Out of total deaths, 849, more than half, have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities, according to the health department.
In nursing and personal care homes, there are now 5,679 resident cases of COVID-19, and 673 cases among employees, for a total of 6,352 at 408 distinct facilities in 39 counties, according to the health department.
Statewide, 179,114 coronavirus tests have been performed, with 142,061 people testing negative, according to the state health department. Yesterday, the state reported that 171,956 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:
- Nearly 1 percent are aged 0-4
- Nearly 1 percent are aged 5-12
- 1 percent are aged 13-18
- Nearly 6 percent are aged 19-24
- Nearly 39 percent are aged 25-49
- Nearly 28 percent are aged 50-64
- Nearly 25 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.
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.
“If you must go out, please make as few trips as possible and wear a mask to protect not only yourself, but others,” she said. “We need all Pennsylvanians to continue to heed these efforts to protect our vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our health care workers and frontline responders.”
For more information, visit the PA Department of Health’s COVID-19 website.
This story was revised to add comments from Rachel Levine on the health department’s fatality data.
