Allegheny County reports 68 new coronavirus cases, 9 deaths

Allegheny County on Wednesday added 68 coronavirus cases and nine deaths to its totals.

The additional cases bring the county’s totals to 10,915 positive covid-19 cases and 358 deaths, according to the county’s health department.

The 68 new cases (62 confirmed and six probable) come from 663 tests, with the date of positive tests ranging from Aug. 31 to Sept. 8. The new cases range from 1 to 97 years old with a median age of 21. The county’s seven-day average of new cases remains at 67.

The county’s daily positivity rate grew to 10.26%, while its overall positivity rate since March is 6.59%.

The newly reported deaths range from Aug. 20 to Sept. 7. Five deaths were of people in their 70s, three in their 80s and one in their 90s, with seven of the deaths associated with long-term care facilities.

Almost 84 percent of the county’s deaths have occurred in residents 70 or older:

• 0-19: 0 deaths
• 20-29: 1 death
• 30-39: 1 death
• 40-49: 2 deaths
• 50-59: 15 deaths
• 60-69: 39 deaths
• 70+: 300 deaths

Some counties across the state have seen a rise in coronavirus cases as students return to college. The University of Pittsburgh, for example, recorded 36 new covid-19 infections among students and one infected employee over the weekend.

According to the county’s covid-19 dashboard, there have been 1,040 cases requiring hospitalization, 274 patients admitted to the intensive care unit and 104 requiring mechanical ventilation since March.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there are currently 65 covid-19 patients hospitalized in the county, with 13 on a ventilator.