Allegheny County reports over 100 new covid-19 cases, 17 new hospitalizations

Allegheny County reported 114 new coronavirus cases Thursday, the second highest new case total of the month.

There were also 17 new covid-19 hospitalizations and five new deaths reported.

New cases came from 1,799 test results with 110 being confirmed and four probable. The age range for the cases are 5 months to 101 years old with a median age of 43. Positive tests ranged from July 13-Aug. 12, with 22 of the results being more than one week old. The county’s case total is now 9,192.

The positivity rate for new covid-19 cases is 6.3%

During the county’s weekly covid-19 briefing Wednesday, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said the county had achieved a 3.9% test positivity rate — the lowest the rate has been since the third week in June.

The new cases are the largest increase in reported cases since Aug. 4, when 132 new covid-19 cases were announced. It is the third time in August that Allegheny County has had 100 or more new cases.

All new hospitalizations were people over age 45 and bring the past and present total to 755. New deaths are all related to long-term care facilities with dates of death from July 27-Aug. 12.

Deaths announced Thursday were all age 80 or older, with two in their 80s, two in their 90s and one in their 100s. The death total for Allegheny County is now 278.

According to the state’s covid-19 dashboard, there are 127 patients currently hospitalized in Allegheny County and 29 of them are on ventilators. Allegheny County now estimates 6,136 cases have recovered.

Health Director Debra Bogen said Wednesday the county has hit a “milestone,” with its weekly average finally falling below 100 cases a day. But she urged people who continue to flout mask requirements, host large parties and ignore social distancing rules in public places to buy in.

“We really, really need you to get on board. The virus is not a hoax. It is not a rumor,” she said. “The reason I am stressing this today is because we are at a critical point in the pandemic.”