Pennsylvania entered February with a seven-day average of about 35 COVID-19-related deaths per day, the highest level since last May, according to tracking by The Washington Post.
Rises in deaths typically come about a month after rises in hospitalizations. Pennsylvania’s rise comes a month after a spike in hospitalizations involving people over 70. That spike quickly fell off, giving hope the recent increase will be short-lived.
The spike in hospitalizations of older people also shows the continued need for vaccination and boosters, doctors say.