Pennsylvania continues to set coronavirus records with 5,531 new cases

Pennsylvania on Friday continued to set records with 5,531 new cases of coronavirus. That is the fourth consecutive day of record-high daily cases.

The state’s seven-day average has marched upward for a dozen consecutive days to 4,348 cases. Similarly, the seven-day case total has been accelerating and is now 30,437.

Of the new cases, 5,031 are confirmed for a daily PCR test positive rate of 22% across the state. The overall test positive rate has been making a steady climb to 8.66%.

Thirty new covid-related deaths were reported across the state, bringing the total since March to 9,224, according to the Department of Health. That is the lowest number of daily deaths reported in four days.

The state has had a total of 2,523,984 people test negative for the virus since March and 239,156 confirmed positive cases. Total cases, including probables, have reached 254,387. The state reports 7,612 people who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 645 who have a positive serology test and either covid-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.

There are 2,314 patients currently hospitalized with covid-19, with 480 of those in the intensive care unit, according to the Department of Health. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. The state has 226 covid-19 patients on ventilators. Of the 5,055 ventilators in the state, 1,254 are being used for all illnesses.

In nursing and personal care homes, the state reports 28,990 resident cases of covid-19, and 6,028 cases among staff, for a total of 35,018 at 1,144 facilities. Of the state’s total coronavirus-related deaths, 6,052 have been residents of nursing or personal care homes.

As of Friday, 18 of Pennsylvania’s counties had crossed the 100-case mark, with Philadelphia, Allegheny and Montgomery counties at the top.