The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 1,029 new coronavirus cases Saturday, raising the statewide total to 155,232.
It’s the first time in a week the state has reported more than 1,000 new cases in a day, a mark the state has hit a few times in September. The health department reported more than 1,100 cases on Sept. 19. By comparison, the state didn’t register 1,000 new cases in day in the month of August.
The state has reported 5,520 positive cases over the previous seven days, an average of 788 per day. That’s below the peak in the spring, when the state regularly reported well over 1,000 new infections each day.
Across Pennsylvania, 8,103 deaths have been tied to COVID-19, including 22 newly reported fatalities Saturday. More than two-thirds of the state’s deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes.
More younger adults are contracting the coronavirus, according to the health department. Health officials say they’re particularly concerned about the spike in adults between the ages of 19 and 24. Officials have also been concerned about the number of college students being infected.
In southeastern Pennsylvania, 29% of the new cases in September have occurred among those between 19 and 24 years old. In April, only 5% of cases came in that age group. In northcentral Pennsylvania, more than two-thirds of the new cases in September have involved those 19-24.
In southcentral Pennsylvania, those 19-24 account for about 17% of this month’s new cases.
Fewer people are being hospitalized due to the coronavirus. The health department’s only dashboard reports 444 people are being treated in hospitals for COVID-19. In late July, 700 people were in hospital beds due to the virus. At the peak in the spring, about 2,800 coronavirus patients required hospital care.
Statewide, 82% of those who have contracted the coronavirus have recovered, according to the health department. The department considers patients to be fully recovered when they are 30 days past the date of infection or the onset of symptoms.
There were 26,337 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m. Friday. The state has administered 182,437 COVID-19 tests from Sept. 19-Sept. 25.
More than 1.8 million people have tested negative for the coronavirus.
Gov. Tom Wolf and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine continue to stress the importance of social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands to curb the spread of the virus.
On Friday, Wolf criticized President Donald Trump for his scheduled rally at Harrisburg International Airport Saturday night, saying it is risky to gather a large group during the pandemic. “To hold this event is not just misguided, it is dangerous, it is manipulative and it is wrong,” Wolf said.
Earlier this week, a federal court declined Wolf’s request for a stay of an order overturning his limits on the size of gatherings. Wolf’s administration had set forth limits of 250 people for outdoor events and 25 for indoor gatherings. The governor is appealing that decision and asking schools to voluntarily follow those guidelines.
Republican lawmakers, and some Democratic lawmakers, say local school officials can be trusted to make responsible decisions on how many spectators can attend games and extracurricular activities.
Statewide, 5,430 deaths tied to the coronavirus have occurred in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, according to the health department.
There are 22,680 residents in those facilities who have contracted COVID-19, along with 4,988 cases among employees. A total of 27,668 people have been infected in long-term care facilities.
Coronavirus cases have been found at 973 facilities in 61 counties.
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