2/3 Of PA Coronavirus Deaths In Nursing Homes: County Breakdown

HARRISBURG, PA — More than 68 percent of Pennsylvania's coronavirus deaths have occurred in nursing or personal care homes despite accounting for 24 percent of the total cases in the state, data shows.

As of Wednesday, Pennsylvania has reported 3,943 total deaths from COVID-19. Of those, 2,705 occurred in nursing homes. In total, 58,698 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Pennsylvania. Of those, 14,214 were among nursing home residents and staff, state data updated Wednesday shows.

Nursing homes in many counties have been ravaged by the virus. In Susquehanna, all of the county's 13 deaths occurred in three nursing homes.

In Montgomery County, 83 percent of the 556 deaths occurred in 86 nursing homes. In Chester County, those in nursing homes accounted for 85 percent of the county's 197 coronavirus deaths.

And in Bucks County, 81 percent of the county's 373 deaths happened at 53 nursing homes.

The situation inside Pennsylvania's nursing homes during the pandemic has become so alarming that Attorney General Josh Shapiro this week announced his office has opened criminal investigations into several long-term facilities. Shapiro did not say specifically which facilities are under investigation.

Also this week, Gov. Tom Wolf announced the state is launching "universal" coronavirus testing in nursing homes with the hope of controlling the spread of the virus where it has caused the most damage.

Under the universal testing plan, testing will be done once a week at the facilities. The state lab in Exton will handle the vast majority of samples. In certain cases, private labs will handle the testing, which could cause a slight delay in the return of results.

Here is a breakdown of Pennsylvania counties with nursing home deaths, according to May 13 data

ADAMS

Total deaths: 5
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 4
Number of facilities with cases: 3

ALLEGHENY

Total deaths: 139
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 109
Number of facilities with cases: 35

ARMSTRONG

Total deaths: 5
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 3
Number of facilities with cases: 1

BEAVER

Total deaths: 78
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 71
Number of facilities with cases: 3

BERKS

Total deaths: 179
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 119
Number of facilities with cases: 23

BUCKS

Total deaths: 373
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 303
Number of facilities with cases: 53

BUTLER

Total deaths: 6
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 2
Number of facilities with cases: 6

CARBON

Total deaths: 17
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 13
Number of facilities with cases: 2

CENTRE

Total deaths: 4
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 2
Number of facilities with cases: 3

CHESTER

Total deaths: 197
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 169
Number of facilities with cases: 37

COLUMBIA

Total deaths: 28
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 24
Number of facilities with cases: 5

CUMBERLAND

Total deaths: 35
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 34
Number of facilities with cases: 8

DAUPHIN

Total deaths: 39
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 26
Number of facilities with cases: 3

DELAWARE

Total deaths: 419
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 339
Number of facilities with cases: 40

FAYETTE

Total deaths: 4
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 1
Number of facilities with cases: 1

FRANKLIN

Total deaths: 13
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 5
Number of facilities with cases: 6

INDIANA

Total deaths: 5
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 4
Number of facilities with cases: 4

LACKAWANNA

Total deaths: 128
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 110
Number of facilities with cases: 15

LANCASTER

Total deaths: 172
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 150
Number of facilities with cases: 31

LEBANON

Total deaths: 19
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 13
Number of facilities with cases: 4

LEHIGH

Total deaths: 129
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 97
Number of facilities with cases: 26

LUZERNE

Total deaths: 123
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 90
Number of facilities with cases: 19

LYCOMING

Total deaths: 7
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 7
Number of facilities with cases: 2

MONROE

Total deaths: 65
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 28
Number of facilities with cases: 8

MONTGOMERY

Total deaths: 556
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 465
Number of facilities with cases: 86

NORTHAMPTON

Total deaths: 162
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 101
Number of facilities with cases: 16

PHILADELPHIA

Total deaths: 904
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 363
Number of facilities with cases: 54

PIKE

Total deaths: 21
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 8
Number of facilities with cases: 2

SCHUYLKILL

Total deaths: 14
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 2
Number of facilities with cases: 9

SUSQUEHANNA

Total deaths: 13
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 13
Number of facilities with cases: 3

WASHINGTON

Total deaths: 4
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 1
Number of facilities with cases: 3

WESTMORELAND

Total deaths: 32
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 27
Number of facilities with cases: 9

YORK

Total deaths: 14
Deaths in nursing/personal care homes: 2
Number of facilities with cases: 6

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office has created a public email for criminal complaints and reports of neglect in nursing home communities at neglect-COVID@attorneygeneral.gov.