Pennsylvania reports over 10K coronavirus cases for 5th time in 7 days
Pennsylvania’s coronavirus case total grew by 10,049 on Wednesday, the fifth time in the past seven days with a total above 10,000.
The new cases reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health bring the state’s total to 519,369. On Wednesday, Pennsylvania surpassed 500,000 cases, becoming the seventh state to reach that mark, according to the Covid Tracking Project. California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, New York and Ohio are the other states to have hit 500,000.
The new cases set a high mark for seven-day average (10,579) and seven-day total (74,052) in the state. According to the health department, the state’s positivity rate from Dec. 4-10 was 16.2%.
The state health department also added 278 deaths to its total on Wednesday, which rose to 13,168. It’s the most deaths added in one day since 310 were reported on May 7. Of those newly reported deaths, 269 are from December and nine are from November. There have been 1,747 coronavirus-related deaths already in December.
Of the new deaths added, 24 are from Allegheny, 13 from Westmoreland, six from Beaver, four from Butler and Somerset, three from Washington, two from Fayette and Indiana and one from Armstrong.
Here’s how the southwestern Pennsylvania region fared, with total covid-19 cases and the change from Tuesday:
- Allegheny: 43,007 (+1,074)
- Armstrong: 2,610 (+53)
- Beaver: 6,593 (+197)
- Butler: 7,036 (+216)
- Fayette: 4,964 (+239)
- Indiana: 3,502 (+56)
- Somerset: 3,636 (+185)
- Washington: 7,018 (+140)
- Westmoreland: 15,148 (+346)
According to the state’s covid-19 dashboard, there are currently 6,346 coronavirus patients hospitalized in the state. The state has 5,529 ventilators, with 1,931 in use, including 740 by covid-19 patients. There are currently 1,238 coronavirus patients in ICUs around the state.
In the past month, nearly every county in the region doubled its case total from Nov. 16 to Dec. 16:
- Allegheny: 20,526 to 43,007 (109.5% growth)
- Armstrong: 1,251 to 2,610 (108.6%)
- Beaver: 2,865 to 6,593 (130.1%)
- Butler: 2,983 to 7,036 (135.9%)
- Fayette: 1,394 to 4,964 (236.7%)
- Indiana: 1,828 to 3,502 (91.6%)
- Somerset: 933 to 3,636 (289.7%)
- Washington: 3,106 to 7,018 (125.9%)
- Westmoreland: 6,266 to 15,148 (141.7%)
Mike Palm is a TribLive digital producer who also writes music reviews and features. A Westmoreland County native, he joined the Trib in 2001, where he spent years on the sports copy desk, including serving as night sports editor. He has been with the multimedia staff since 2013. He can be reached at mpalm@triblive.com.
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