Despite Increases, Pa. COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations Less than December 2020
58,591 new cases of COVID-19 were reported last week in Pennsylvania, an increase of 10% and an increase for the second consecutive week. The statewide COVID-19 total case count now stands at 1,837,742. The commonwealth is 14th in cases per 100,000 nationally, with New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Minnesota now in the top three.
Weekly case rates in Pennsylvania are 15% lower than the same time in December 2020, hospitalizations are 25% lower, and deaths are 39% less than this week last year. It is one year since the first vaccines began to be distributed.
The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Pennsylvania increased for the fifth week in a row from 4,106 to 4,501, or 9%. 942 patients are in the ICU, an increase compared to the previous week’s 885. Total deaths in Pennsylvania have reached 34,616 with 714 new deaths reported this week.
After five straight weeks of increases, Pennsylvania’s statewide percent-positivity rate decreased from 15.3% to 14.4%. No county has a rate less than 5% (compared to none last week); four counties have rates of 5% to less than 10% (compared to seven last week); 41 counties have rates of 10% to less than 20% (compared to 31 last week); 22 counties have a rate of at least 20% but less than 30% (compared to 25 last week); no county has a rate higher than 30% (compared to four last week). Click here for more county-specific information.
