Friday brings added case high in month

Number of rising hospitalizations cause concern

It may be too soon to look in the rearview mirror for Pennsylvania’s coronavirus pandemic. The state Department of Health reported 3,455 additional coronavirus cases on Friday, the highest number reported since Feb. 13, and the fourth consecutive day more than 3,000 cases were added to the state’s pandemic total.

The seven-day moving average of newly reported cases was 2,692 Friday, up 9% from 2,466 a week ago. That makes a solid week of increases in the moving average.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had warned that the B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant, first found in the United Kingdom, would become the dominant strain in the U.S. during March. The agency termed the variant “of concern” — the middle designation between “of interest” and “of high consequence” — because it is about 50% more transmissible than the original “wild” strain and tends to lead to more severe COVID-19, along with an increased need for hospitalization.

The so-called British variant has been found in Pennsylvania, as has the South African variant. Labeled B.1.351, the South African variant is as transmissible as the British, but not apt to cause severe COVID-19 cases. Other concerning variants include two identified in California, and one found in Brazil and Japan. None has yet to be identified in Pennsylvania test samples.

The two California variants are 20% more transmissible and deemed less responsive to some therapies in those who get sick, according to data from the CDC.

Public health officials are urging people not to let down their guard in social distancing, masking and hygiene, repeating the admonition of Dr. Anthony Fauci, “If it can’t replicate, it can’t mutate.”

It is unclear how much spillover immunity the three vaccines approved for use in the U.S. will have against the variants. All the vaccines were designed to work against the original wild strain and are being tested against variants.

To date, there have been 980,302 infections statewide since the start of the pandemic in March of last year.

Vaccinations

Combined numbers from the state and Philadelphia health departments show that 4.6 million shots have been put into the arms of 3 million Pennsylvanians, accounting for 28.9% of the 16-and-over population eligible for vaccination.

About 1.6 million people — better than 1 in 8 of those eligible — are fully inoculated against the coronavirus. Another 1.4 million have gotten the first of their two required shots. The numbers do not include vaccinations administered in nursing homes under coordination with the CDC, or those given in federal facilities.

There have been 265,622 vaccinations administered to 169,000 people in the Lehigh Valley, with 96,624, or 17.6% of the eligible population now fully immunized, with another 72,374 Valley residents waiting for their second shot. Together, close to 31% of local residents are the proud owners of a CDC vaccination card.

Deaths

Overall: 35 compared with 17 on Thursday. The seven-day moving average of deaths per day is 30, compared with 38 a week ago.

Senior care: No report released Friday. A total of 12,821 long-term care residents have died, accounting for a little over half of the state’s 24,741 deaths.

Hospitalizations

There were 1,548 people hospitalized as of midday Friday, compared with 1,486 Thursday. Of those, 170 were on ventilators, and 317 were in intensive care beds. The number of COVID-19 patients has increased about 8% over the last five days.

Hospitals in the Lehigh Valley reported 119 COVID-19 patients Friday, with 28 in intensive care units and 15 on ventilators.

Testing

There were 11,790 test results reported Friday, with 23% of them positive, compared with 20.9% on Thursday. The positivity rate is up about 30% over the last two weeks. The overall positive test rate is 17.2% since the state’s first cases were reported March 6 of last year.

Lehigh Valley

Cases: 321 additional case reports, with 164 in Lehigh County and 157 in Northampton County. That brings the total to 61,039. The local number is the highest since Feb. 11.

Northampton County ranks sixth out of 67 counties in population-adjusted new cases over seven days, with 34.7 new cases per day per 100,000 residents. Lehigh is eighth at 27.7 average new cases per day per 100,000.

Sullivan County, tucked between Lycoming and Luzerne, tops the list with an average 44.7 cases per day per 100,000, followed by Centre, 39.2, Pike, 38.1, Clearfield, 36.2, and Monroe at 35.7 cases per day per 100,000 residents.

Deaths: Three new deaths (one in Lehigh County, and two in Northampton County), compared with one the day before. That brings the total to 1,465, (797 in Lehigh, and 668 in Northampton).