New case rate continues climbing

The state Health Department reported 3,126 additional coronavirus cases Thursday, the third consecutive day more than 3,000 cases have been reported.

The seven-day moving average of newly reported cases was 2,638, up 9% from 2,420 a week ago. The average has been increasing for six days.

To date, there have been 976,847 infections statewide since the start of the pandemic.

About 3 million Pennsylvanians have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but millions more are still waiting for an opportunity to schedule an appointment. Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam was asked at a Thursday news briefing about the confusion caused by multiple federal programs providing vaccines to multiple state programs, as well as sending doses directly to pharmacies.

She encouraged people who are having difficulty determining their eligibility or using online scheduling tools to call the department’s helpline at 1-877-724-3258. Officials also touted a revamped vaccination provider locator map, which now tells users when the provider last got a vaccine allocation and how many doses.

Beam noted that the state ranks second behind New Mexico in the population-adjusted rate of vaccinations over seven days. She emphasized that more than 2,000 entities are ready to administer vaccinations once the supply of vaccines is less constrained.

More than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, representing 14.7% of the 16-and-over population that is eligible. About 1.4 million have received their first dose. The numbers combine data from the state and Philadelphia health departments.

There has been an average of 94,000 vaccinations administered daily for the seven days ending March 16. Providers have three days to report their numbers to the state.

About 166,000 Lehigh Valley residents — 30.2% of the eligible population — have received at least one of the 260,000 vaccinations administered locally, with 95,000 Valley residents fully immunized.

In addition to the new map, data geeks also have access to new vaccination information through the state’s OpenData portal, where data can be searched, filtered and exported for use.

The state reported 17 deaths. The seven-day moving average of deaths per day is 31, compared with 39 a week ago.

There were 1,486 people hospitalized as of midday Thursday, compared with 1,500 Wednesday. Of those, 161 were on ventilators, and 287 were in intensive care beds.

Hospitals in the Lehigh Valley report 122 COVID patients compared with 123 on Wednesday. Of those, 26 were in intensive care beds, and 14 were on ventilators.

The Lehigh Valley reported 236 additional cases, 112 in Lehigh County and 124 in Northampton County. That brings the total to 60,718.

One new death, in Northampton County, brings the total to 1,462 (796 in Lehigh, and 666 in Northampton).

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