State adds 7,962 COVID-19 cases; record number on ventilators

The seven-day moving average of newly reported coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania dropped for the fifth consecutive day Tuesday, indicating a new plateau in infection rates though hospitalizations, ventilator use and intensive care admissions remain at or near record highs.

The state Health Department reported 7,962 additional cases, dropping the seven-day moving average of cases to 8,890 down 14% from 10,387 a week ago.

To date, there have been 571,551 infections statewide since the start of the pandemic.

The state reported 231 deaths, compared with 57 Monday, bringing the total to 14,212 COVID-19-related deaths in Pennsylvania since the start of the pandemic.

There were 43 deaths in nursing or personal care facilities, compared with 14 the day before, bring the total to 8,122. Slightly more than 57% of the state’s deaths have been in nursing homeand assisted-living residents.

There were 6,151 people hospitalized Tuesday afternoon, compared with 6,090 Monday. Of those, 1,236 were in intensive care. The number of COVID patients in intensive care is five times higher than it was 60 days ago, when 241 people were in intensive care beds. The number of COVID patients on ventilators has increased sevenfold in the last 60 days, going from 110 Oct. 22 to 772 midday Tuesday.

The hospitalization report also shows record utilization of the state’s 4,630 intensive care beds: 87.5% or about seven out of eight beds are in use. That’s the highest rate of use since June 1, when the numbers were first published, even though the stock of staffed beds is also at its highest. About one-third of the occupied ICU beds is taken by a COVID-19 patient.

There were 14,681 people who received test results Monday, with 40% of them testing positive, compared with nearly 32% Sunday. Tuesday’s percent positive for people getting tested for the first time is the highest daily report since June, when the Health Department began publishing those numbers. The overall positive test rate is 14% since the state’s first four cases were reported March 7.

Michael Huff, whois in charge of testing and contact tracing for the state, noted that the increased positivity rate in part reflects the success of the state’s efforts at testing the most at-risk populations. During a news briefing Tuesday afternoon he said that, because of the success of more targeted testing, he is confident that more testing would not necessarily find proportionately more positive cases.

“We have gotten smarter and refined our modeling,” he said.

Huffsaid that the state continues its efforts to expand testing to all who want it, including those without any symptoms. The Rite Aid drug store chain has added 19 testing locations. All testing site locations and appointment requirements are listed on the state’s testing web site.

“Connect and Protect,” a new method of contact tracing also was introduced during the briefing. The initiative consists of an emailed form that people can fill out on their own and send to the state. Contact tracers still need to make a phone call to an individual to get their email address. Lindsey Mauldin, who oversees contact tracing, said that first-day indications are that people are more likely to complete all questions whenthey can do so at their own pace and without interacting live with tracing personnel. The form is currently available only in English.

In the Lehigh Valley, 410 new cases were reported (215 in Lehigh County, 195 in Northampton County), compared with 702 the day before. That brings the total to 32,521.

Also, 17 new deaths were reported (10 in Lehigh County, seven in Northampton County), compared with none the day before. That brings the total to 845 in the Lehigh Valley.

The most recent surge in cases, which has been mounting since the end of September, has hit every corner of the state. The Health Department divides the state into six health care regions. The Northwest and Southwest regions have the highest rates of additional cases over the last two weeks. The Northeast region, which includes the Lehigh Valley, has the second-lowest rate, after the Southeast region.

Monroe County has the lowest population-adjusted rate of infections in The Lehigh Valley’s eight-county region, adding 683 cases per 100,000 population over the last two weeks. Schuylkill County has the highest rate at 1,296 per 100,000 in two weeks. Lehigh and Northampton’s rates are 1,116 and 1,192, respectively.