Pennsylvania recorded a slight rise in covid-19 cases while the number of people hospitalized with the illness continued its steady drop.

The state on Friday added 1,823 cases, the most in the past six days, according to data from the state Department of Health. Those cases helped raise the seven-day average to 1,490, the first time in weeks the average has gone up. Of the newly added cases, 1,349 are confirmed and 474 are listed as probable.

The new cases bring the total to 1,193,355 since the start of the pandemic, with 1,001,346 of them confirmed through PCR tests.

Allegheny County on Friday recorded 119 more covid cases, helping to pull its seven-day average down to 124, according to data from the county health department. That’s the lowest weekly average since late October. Of the new cases, 80 are confirmed and 39 are probable. New cases ranged in age from 7 months to 92 years, with a median age of 28 years. The county has seen a total of 100,719 cases.

The new cases fall into these age groups:

Ages 0-4: 3 Ages 5-12: 23 Ages 13-18: 7 Ages 19-24: 18 Ages 25-49: 49 Ages 50-64: 14 Ages 65 and over: 5

Westmoreland County added 50 cases, keeping the seven-day average (47) down in the 40s for seven consecutive days. Twenty seven of the newly added cases are confirmed and 23 are probable. The county has reported a total of 33,877 covid cases.

Health officials define a probable case as one in which a patient has a positive viral antigen test or covid symptoms with a “high-risk exposure” to someone who has been confirmed to have coronavirus.

Vaccinations

Pennsylvanians continue to get vaccinated against covid-19. There are 5,134,343 adults (50.5%) in the state who are fully vaccinated and 5,183,394 (40.5%) of the total population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC reports 7,129,435 all people in the state (55.7%) have received at least one dose of a covid vaccine.

In Allegheny County, there are 524,354 people (42%) fully protected and 725,922 (59.3%) covered by at least one dose of a covid vaccine.

Westmoreland County has 130,573 residents (35.8%) fully vaccinated and 166,234 (45.5%) with at least a single dose.

Hospitalizations

The number of people hospitalized for covid-19 has been dropping statewide since hitting a second peak (2,842) on April 21. The state had as many as 6,346 hospitalized covid patients during the larger surge in December but now has 1,250. The seven-day average has dropped to 1,407 patients, the lowest weekly average since early November. There are 304 patients currently in intensive care units and 187 breathing with ventilators.

Allegheny County has 120 patients in hospitals for covid-19, with 48 of those in ICUs and 30 breathing with ventilators. The county’s seven-day average of hospitalizations (137) has been dropping daily since April 25 (278). The county has had a total of 7,062 covid hospitalizations.

In Westmoreland, there are 26 people hospitalized for covid, keeping the 14-day average down at 27. Of those hospitalized, five are in the ICU and the same number is using a ventilator.

Deaths

Pennsylvania on Friday recorded 25 additional covid-related deaths, the fewest in four days. All the new deaths occurred in May. The seven-day average of deaths is 266 and has remained below 300 in May. The state has attributed 26,990 deaths to covid-19.

Allegheny County reported two additional deaths that occurred in May. One of those was associated with a long-term care home. One person was in their 60s and one in their 80s.

Westmoreland reported no additional deaths for the second day, leaving the county’s total at 760.

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