Covid hospitalizations continue to drop in Pennsylvania

Covid hospitalizations in Pennsylvania are on a downward trend, decreasing more than 500 in a week.

Data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health shows the number of coronavirus patients dropped 544 from 3,768 a week ago to 3,224 Wednesday. The number also shrunk by 57 from Tuesday’s 3,281.

There are currently 657 coronavirus patients in intensive care units around the state, with 19.6% of the state’s ICU beds available. The state has 6,097 ventilators, with 1,662 in use, including 378 by covid-19 patients.

The health department reported 3,128 additional cases to bring the state’s total to 853,616.

Of the 143 deaths newly reported Wednesday, five are from February, 125 are from January, 12 are from December and one is from November. The state’s death total now stands at 21,955.

According to the state, Allegheny County had the most newly reported deaths in the region with 19, bringing its total to 1,555. The Allegheny County Health Department, however, reports 1,495 deaths in the county, a discrepancy that hasn’t fully been explained. Washington added six deaths, followed by Butler (five), Westmoreland (four) and Beaver, Fayette and Somerset with two apiece.

Allegheny County had the most new cases in the state with (328), followed by Philadelphia (302), Bucks (176), Lancaster (170) and Montgomery (153).

Among Pennsylvania’s 1,549 nursing and personal care homes, there have been 63,621 covid cases in residents and 12,250 in employees. Data shows almost 53% (11,568) of the state’s deaths have occurred in those facilities.