Pa. COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations Continue to Rise

8,912 new cases of COVID-19 were reported last week, a 21% increase compared to the prior week and an increase for the fifth week in a row. Despite this, the commonwealth has the fifth lowest growth in cases per 100,000, with Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi making up the top three. While state and national cases continue to increase, the rates have slowed compared to a few weeks ago.  

The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Pennsylvania increased for the fourth week in a row to 1,064, with 297 patients in the ICU. In the last four weeks, hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Pennsylvania have nearly quadrupled and the number of patients in the ICU has more than tripled. Pennsylvania hospital capacity is not at risk. While the year-end daily death rate was over 200 per day, the current death rate is less than 20 per day. 

Pennsylvania’s statewide percent-positivity rate increased for the sixth week in a row from 5.4% to 6%. 18 counties now have rates less than 5%, 42 counties have rates of 5% to less than 10%, and seven counties have rates of 10% to less than 20%.Click here for more county-specific information.