2 new virus deaths in Western Pa.
Pennsylvania has 780 new cases of COVID-19 and 113 new deaths from the viral disease, the state health department reported on Wednesday, as state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine hailed the downward trend in new case numbers.
“It is important to remember that while our total number of cases will continue to increase, total positive cases reported each day has continued to decline,” Dr. Levine said. She said this is especially positive given that testing capacity has increased substantially.
Two of the new deaths occurred in Western
Pennsylvania, one each in Allegheny and Armstrong counties, according to the state’s data.
With the new figures, the county’s pandemic death toll stands at 151 — 140 are confirmed and 11 are probable, according to data released by the county health department. However, the state lists Allegheny County as having 160 deaths. Armstrong County is now reporting four total deaths.
Since Allegheny County’s first case of COVID-19 was reported on March 14, the county has had 1,828 cases — 1,720 confirmed and 108 probable. Twelve new cases were reported Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, 324 people in Allegheny County have been hospitalized due to the disease. Of them, 126 required a stay at the intensive care unit and 67 required mechanical ventilation. Allegheny County has administered 29,851 tests, with 992 reported Wednesday, and county Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen has said Allegheny has the capacity to administer roughly 2,000 tests per day.
For the 17th straight day, Pennsylvania health officials on Wednesday reported less than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19. With the 780 new cases, the statewide count increased to 69,417. The death count is 5,265.
When asked whether there are “commonalities” among people who recently contracted the virus, Dr. Levine declined to give specific figures, but said “many” cases are associated with long-term care living facilities and food processing plants, and “most” new cases are not associated with attending large gatherings or traveling.
“But, there is still community spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania, and that is how many people get exposed,” she said.
The state also is providing an estimate of how many COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania have recovered from the virus: 62%, or around 43,000. “If a case has not been reported as a death, and it is more than 30 days past the date of their first positive test (or onset of symptoms) then an individual is considered recovered,” the department of health says on its website. There are no plans to report county-level estimates, Dr. Levine said Wednesday.
The secretary also reported new cases of a rare inflammatory condition linked to COVID-19, named MIS-C by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Pennsylvania.
She said Wednesday 13 cases had been confirmed in patients ranging from 11 months to 18 years of age, and that 10 additional cases are under investigation.
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh said Tuesday it has seen no cases of the condition.
On Friday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that 16 counties, mostly in the northern tier of the state, would move from the yellow category to green this Friday. All counties will be moved out of the most strict red category by June 5.
“We expect that, for the foreseeable future, that we will recommend that people wear masks when they’re outside, that they continue to be really careful about washing their hands and using hand sanitizer, that they continue to practice social distancing,” the secretary said Wednesday.
Mr. Wolf said while guidance to wear masks when in public does not have the force of law, he strongly encourages it — especially to protect employees who are seniors or have comorbidities — and believes businesses should require it for entry into their stores.
“If someone comes into a store, they should be wearing a mask. You ought to insist on that, if you’re the business owner,” Mr. Wolf said. He added that “any business owner has the absolute right to determine what the customer should be wearing when they come into their store, including face masks.”