Western Pa. covid hospitalizations hit highest point in more than 10 months

As the threat of the omicron variant looms, covid-19 hospitalizations in Western Pennsylvania have hit their highest point in more than 10 months.

Allegheny County on Wednesday reported 504 covid patients in hospitals, the most since there were 535 patients on Jan. 12, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The county has seen a 58% increase in covid hospitalizations in the past month — from 318 patients on Nov. 1 to 502 patients on Nov. 30. The most covid hospitalizations the county reported came almost a year ago, on Dec. 16, when there were 881 patients.

Westmoreland County saw an even bigger jump in covid hospitalizations — a 64.3% increase in the past month. The county reported totals climbing from 56 at the beginning of the month to 92 on Nov. 30. The total is the highest since at least March. (A state data correction saw the county’s total drop from 117 on March 17 to 26 on March 18, with no explanation offered for the change.)

Pennsylvania’s covid hospitalizations reached 3,939 on Wednesday, the highest daily total since Jan. 23 when there were 3,997 patients hospitalized. The number of people hospitalized with covid on Nov. 30 (3,876) was 45% higher than that on Nov. 1 (2,669). The state had its highest daily total on Dec. 16 with 6,346 patients.

In the past month, new covid cases grew by double-digit percentages in Pennsylvania as well as Westmoreland and Allegheny counties.

Westmoreland had the highest increase of the three, with a 14.2% jump in cases. The county’s total grew in November from 45,286 to 51,706.

Allegheny climbed 13.2% with 17,506 additional cases reported and 150,179 in all through Nov. 30.

The state’s total grew by 11% with 171,867 additional cases in November, going from 1,565,053 to 1,736,920.

Pennsylvania reported 1,520 covid deaths in November — the state’s eighth-highest tally since the pandemic started here in February 2020. The state’s covid death total sits at 33,521 — 15,470 this year and 17,951 in 2020.

According to state data, Allegheny County reported 94 deaths in November. In all, the state health department has reported 2,495 deaths in the county, while the Allegheny County Health Department puts the total at 2,464. The discrepancy results from different reporting methods.

Westmoreland County is approaching 1,000 covid deaths as the year draws to a close. The county has seen 983 covid deaths, including 62 in November — the fifth-highest total for any month.

Westmoreland County reported 50% of its population was fully vaccinated against covid-19. Allegheny County reported 61.6% of its total population is fully vaccinated, while the state’s number is at 58.7%.