Push, pull over restrictions
As fall surge grows, Pa. officials plead for cooperation in mitigation measures
The Pennsylvania Health Department on Monday reported a two-day total of 2,372 additional cases of COVID-19, with infections remaining high, as Pennsylvania and many other states struggle with what officials say is the predicted fall wave of the pandemic.
“The fall resurgence is here,” Gov. Tom Wolf said at a news conference where he urged residents to double down on masking, social distancing and hand-washing — the best practices to slow the spread of the illness.
The cases include 1,269 Sunday and 1,103 Monday, bringing the statewide total to 183,315. The seven-day moving average of newly reported cases was 1,238 on Monday, up from 1,152 a week ago.
The death toll rose to 8,500 with 26 new deaths reported Sunday and eight reported Monday. Most deaths and hospitalizations are in the 65-and-older age group.
Lehigh and Northampton counties each reported 40 additional cases, with one new death in Lehigh County for the two days. Philadelphia led the way with 321 additional cases over the two days, followed by Allegheny with 215, Berks with 165 and Westmoreland with 138.
Nursing and personal care homes have reported 24,663 resident cases and 5,389 employee cases, for a total of 30,052 at 1,025 facilities in 61 counties. Of total deaths, 5,609 have occurred in residents of nursing or personal care facilities. Of total cases, 11,697 are among health care workers.
Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, who also spoke at the
news conference, said the state has seen a marked increase in the percentage of positive tests over the last month. The current mark of 4.3% is the highest since Aug. 7, and 21 counties are at more than 5%.
“Almost every state is seeing increases in terms of incidence rates and percent positives,” Levine said. She attributed the rise to outbreaks on college campuses and in long-term care facilities and correctional institutions, but also to community spread from socializing and restaurant dining.
Penn State, Kutztown University and Lehigh University all have been managing outbreaks on campus, but have dealt with them in different ways.
About 1,000 students have returned home from Kutztown, but the university remains largely open, while Lehigh has shifted to online classes and advised students to stay on campus and avoid going into the community.
On the bright side, Levine said no Pennsylvania hospitals are under strain from COVID cases, as they were in the spring. There were 870 people hospita
lized with the virus at midday Monday, up substantially in recent weeks.
“The last 7 ½ months have shown us that when we work together, we can do amazing things,” said Wolf, recounting the increase in testing and contact tracing and the bolstering of personal protective equipment stockpiles since the state began battling the coronavirus in March. More than 320,000 Pennsylvanians have downloaded a COVID exposure warning app used in several states.
“We didn’t exactly stop
COVID in its tracks [in the spring] but we did pretty well,” Wolf said. “We can do this again, to stop this fall resurgence ... It comes down to all of us working together against COVID.”