The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 5,785 new coronavirus cases and 205 more deaths on Saturday.
Across Pennsylvania, 799,957 people have contracted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic about a year ago.
Statewide, 20,526 total deaths have been tied to the virus. It took eight months to reach 10,000 fatalities, but it took less than two months to double that.
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The number of virus-related hospitalizations continues its recent decline. According to the health department, around 4,100 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized as of Saturday morning, down from a December peak that topped 6,300. About 822 are in intensive care today.
Of those who’ve had a coronavirus test in the seven days ending Jan. 21, 10.5% were positive. Anything over 5% shows significant community spread of COVID-19.
Most of the patients hospitalized, and most of those who’ve died, are ages 65 or older, the state said.
This week, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration said it is expanding vaccine eligibility to anyone over 65 and all those between the ages of 16 and 64 with certain chronic health issues or high-risk conditions. However, supplies of the vaccine are limited. So far, close to 400,000 Pennsylvanians have received at least the first of the two COVID-19 vaccine shots.
The health department reports 79% of those who have contracted the coronavirus have recovered. The state considers patients to have recovered when they are 30 days past the point of infection or the onset of symptoms. Around 3.5 million people have had negative tests.
Wolf announced Friday he is nominating Alison Beam, his deputy chief of staff, to succeed outgoing Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, who was nominated by President Joe Biden to be assistant U.S. health secretary. Levine is poised to become the first openly transgender official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
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