Most indicators for Valley worsen

State reports 1,088 more cases of virus

The Pennsylvania Health Department on Monday reported 1,088 more cases of the coronavirus as most of the state’s “early warning” virus indicators for the Lehigh Valley showed a worsening situation.

The newly reported cases bring the statewide total to 173,304, including five in Lehigh County and 12 in Northampton County.

The department also issued a report for Sunday, when 1,166 additional cases were reported, including 35 in Lehigh County and 32 in Northampton County.

Most of the additional cases Monday are “a result of spread within the community,” according to department spokesperson Nate Wardle.

The numbers, he said, are a reminder of the threat posed by the virus and of the importance of wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, washing hands

and avoiding large gatherings, among other things.

The state’s once-weekly update of its COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard shows eight of 12

indicators for Lehigh and Northampton counties moved in a negative direction.

During the seven-day period ended Thursday, both counties saw worsening statistics for confirmed cases and incidence rate per 100,000 people.

In addition, in Lehigh, the average daily number of people on ventilators increased to 5.9 and average daily hospitalizations increased to 38.1

In Northampton, meanwhile, the positivity rate in testing increased to 3.7% and the percentage of emergency room

visits due to a COVID-19-like illness increased to 0.6%.

Animproving signal in Lehigh was a drop in the percentage of emergency room visits due to a COVID-19-like illness, from 0.6% to 0.5%. And in Northampton, an improving sign came in a drop in average daily hospitalizations, from 1.7 to 1.4.

Statewide, the positive-test rate in the seven days ended Thursday climbed to 3.9% from 3.7% in the previous seven days. The 7-day moving average of newly reported cases was 1,152 on Monday, up from 913 a week ago.

In Monday’s newly reported case data, Philadelphia has the largest number of additional cases, with 130.

There were 18 more deaths across the state, to make the total 8,368. There have been 359 deaths in Lehigh County and 309 in Northampton.

The average number of people hospitalized statewide for the virus over the last 14 days increased to 629.9 on Monday, the highest level for that statistic in the past two months.

Early Monday afternoon, 725 people were hospitalized for the virus, including 55 in Lehigh County and one in Northampton.