Northampton County leads surge as more than 7,000 new cases reported

The state Department of Health reported 7,132 additional coronavirus cases on Saturday. The seven-day moving average of newly reported cases was 3,969, up 37% from 2,888 a week ago.

Northampton County continues to lead the state in average cases per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, it has averaged 54.4 daily cases, compared to the weekly statewide case average of 31 cases per 100,000 residents per day.

Out of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, the top 10 for daily cases per 100,000 residents are Northampton (54.4), Centre (50.3), Elk (49.7), York (46.9), Pike (46.1), Carbon (46.1), Wyoming (43.2), Clearfield (42.7), Lycoming (42) and Lehigh (39.3).

To date, there have been 1,012,299 infections statewide since the start of the pandemic.

Vaccinations

About 203,000 Lehigh Valley residents — 37% of the 16-and-older population eligible to be inoculated — have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. More than 108,000 locals, or about 1 in 5, are fully vaccinated, and another 95,000 await their second jab.

More than 3.4 million people statewide — almost one-third of those eligible — are at least partially vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to data combined from the state and Philadelphia health departments. More than 1.9 million people are fully vaccinated, while 1.5 have gotten the first of their two required shots.

The state is averaging more than 99,000 vaccinations per day. The number excludes those shots given in long-term care facilities, and those administered in federal facilities like veterans hospitals, military bases and prisons.

Deaths

Overall: 33 compared with 36 on Friday. The seven-day moving average of deaths per day is 30, compared with 29 a week ago.

Senior care: No report Saturday. The total number of deaths of long-term care facility residents is 12,904, accounting for 51.6% of the state’s 24,986 deaths.

Hospitalizations

There were 1,795 people hospitalized as of midday Saturday compared with 1,772 Friday. Of those, 200 were on ventilators, and 363 were in ICU beds.

Hospitals in the Lehigh Valley report generally steady numbers, with 147 COVID-19 patients Saturday, 23 of them in intensive care beds and 16 on ventilators.

Testing

There were 10,633 test results reported Saturday, with 31% of them positive, compared with 24.9% on Friday.

The overall positive test rate is 17.3% since the state’s first cases were reported March 6 of last year.

Lehigh Valley

Cases: 485 additional case reports, with 225 in Lehigh County, 260 in Northampton County. That brings the total to 63,530.

Deaths: One new death (none in Lehigh County, one in Northampton County), compared with one the day before. That brings the total to 1,478, (804 in Lehigh, and 674 in Northampton).