The state reports 600 new cases of COVID-19, including 107 in Western Pennsylvania.
Over the last seven days, Allegheny County has seen an increase of 244 new cases, according to the county health department, twothirds of which were among those within the age range of 19 to 49 years old.
“These cases were overwhelmingly among younger people who were traveling, visiting bars and restaurants, and out in the community,” county health officials said.
Out of the 20 counties in Western Pennsylvania on Friday, Allegheny County had the highest increase in positive cases, 61, and Erie County had the second highest, 13, from the previous day. Allegheny last saw a single-day increase of more than 60 cases on April 23.
Allegheny’s total is now 2,382 cases. Of those, 2,239 are confirmed and 143 are probable, the county said Friday.
Pennsylvania health officials on Friday reported 600 new cases of COVID-19 and 22 new deaths, with Western Pennsylvania accounting for 107 total diagnoses.
The total number of cases statewide is now 84,370 since the pandemic started in March.
Case investigators reported to the county health department that of the new positive cases, some had reported traveling to various parts of the country. Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Houston; Nashville, Tenn.; Miami; Tampa, Fla.; and Naples, Fla., were all mentioned multiple times. However, the department said investigators “have not identified any apparent clusters in the travel destinations or activities.”
According to data released by the health department, 15 different bars and restaurants were mentioned to case investigators by people who tested positive and either visited or worked in the establishments. Of those bars and restaurants, five were mentioned frequently.
Smaller numbers of the new cases reported being at church, with families or at protests.
There are only two counties in Western Pennsylvania reporting new deaths related to the virus — Allegheny and Erie — with one death each. Allegheny’s health department, separately from the state, reported that two more people had died from the disease, making the total 186. As of Friday, the state total for Allegheny was 183 deaths.
Statewide, the total number of deaths rose by 22, bringing the new total to 6,579.
State health secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said Friday that officials are looking closely at areas where COVID19 infection rates and deaths are ticking back up, threatening to turn back progress against the pandemic.
“We are doing a ‘deep dive’ into all of the counties that have had increases,” Dr. Levine said, warning that “community spread” is occurring in some parts of the state.
The rise may be attributable to the gradual reopening that has been taking place in Pennsylvania, as well as more extensive testing, she said.
Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration will allow Lebanon County to move from the yellow phase to the less-restrictive green phase by the end of next week, Dr. Levine said. It will be the final county in Pennsylvania to do so.
According to other data from Allegheny County, there was one additional hospitalization as a result of the virus, bringing the total to 379 past or present hospitalizations. This includes 143 people who have been in intensive care units and 73 that have required mechanical ventilation.
Here are the total number of positive cases reported Friday in Western Pennsylvania:
• Allegheny: 2,382 (up 61 from Thursday)
• Armstrong: 72 (up 2)
• Beaver: 638 (up 1)
• Butler: 284 (up 4)
• Cambria: 67 (up 3)
• Clarion: 33 (no change)
• Clearfield: 72 (up 1)
• Crawford: 51 (up 1)
• Erie: 572 (up 13)
• Fayette: 106 ( up 2)
• Forest: 7 (no change)
• Greene: 35 (no change)
• Indiana: 101 (no change)
• Jefferson: 21 (no change)
• Lawrence: 99 (no change)
• Mercer: 130 ( up 4)
• Somerset: 55 ( up 3)
• Venango: 17 (no change)
• Washington: 187 (up 3)
• Westmoreland: 587 (up 9) Here are the total number of deaths reported Friday in Western Pennsylvania:
• Allegheny: 183 (The county reported 186)
• Armstrong: 6 (no change)
• Beaver: 78 (no change)
• Butler: 13 (no change)
• Cambria: 3 (no change)
• Clarion: 2 (no change)
• Clearfield: 0 (no change)
• Crawford: 0 (no change)
• Erie: 10 (up 1)
• Fayette: 4 (no change)
• Forest: 0 (no change)
• Greene: 0 (no change)
• Indiana: 6 (no change)
• Jefferson: 1 (no change)
• Lawrence: 9 (no change)
• Mercer: 6 (no change)
• Somerset: 1 (no change)
• Venango: 0 (no change)
• Washington: 6 (no change)
• Westmoreland: 38 (The county coroner is reporting 32.)
For additional information on Allegheny County data, visit the Allegheny County’s COVID-19 Dashboard. More information on statewide results can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Health website.
The Associated Press contributed.