Pennsylvania reports 1,156 new coronavirus cases, 18 new deaths

Pennsylvania on Thursday reported a second day of more than 1,000 new covid-19 cases, along with 18 new deaths attributed to the coronavirus.

The state Department of Health reported 1,156 cases, bringing the total number of cases to 160,123 since March. On Wednesday, the state logged 1,153 cases.

The state reported 18 new deaths after posting 19 on Wednesday and 16 on Tuesday. The state total stands at 8,160. Of the newly reported deaths, 16 are from September, one from August and one from April.

Allegheny County reported an increase of 106 cases on Thursday, while Philadelphia County saw an increase of 347 cases.

According to the state there were 187,184 tests administered within the last seven days between Sept. 24-30 with 6,423 positive cases. There were 22,611 test results reported to the department through Wednesday.

More than 2 million people in the state have been tested for the virus.

The overall positivity rate is 7.8%.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine spoke Wednesday about the disease and the lingering effects some people experience even after they have recovered.

In Pennsylvania, about 82% of the people who have tested positive are considered to be recovered, Levine said. But that doesn’t mean the virus-stricken person has returned to normal health, she added.

She called people who have lingering effects of the disease “long-haulers” and said what happens to them is particularly concerning health officials.