Valley sees highest COVID-19 case increase in months

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 5,186 additional coronavirus cases Tuesday, excluding numbers from Philadelphia. The sevenday moving average of newly reported cases was 6,128 cases per day, down 19% from a week ago, when the state added 15,414 reinfection cases to the totals. The moving average is up 53.9% over the last 30 days.

To date, there have been 1.7 million infections statewide.

While rates have been spiking in the northwest health care region, Lehigh County registered 1,184 cases over seven days, its highest number since Feb. 1. Northampton County’s 1,006 sum is the highest seven-day total since April 19.

Philadelphia has the lowest rate in the state, adding 121.4 cases over the last seven days for each 100,000 residents. Delaware (161.8), Montgomery (194.1), Bucks (200.7) and Chester (209.3) round out the bottom five. But even the lowest counties are all above the 100 weekly population-adjusted rate that delineates high community transmission.

The highest rates in Pennsylvania can be found in Venango (894.1), Crawford (859), Forest (841.7), Warren (752.7) and Clarion (663.4).

Pennsylvania’s rate is 335.1 cases over the last seven days for each 100,000 residents, ranking it 18th highest of the states and territories.

There were 72 additional deaths reported Tuesday. The seven-day moving average of deaths per day is 74.3, compared with 70.1 a week ago, an increase of 5.9% in the last seven days. Pennsylvania has recorded 33,003 deaths since March 2020.

There were 3,349 people hospitalized as of midday Tuesday, compared with 3,174 Monday, a jump of 175. Of those, 763 were in intensive care, and 420 were on ventilators. Statewide hospitalizations have increased 14.7% over the last week, and are up 7.5% in the last 30 days.

The seven-day average number of hospitalized COVID patients is at its highest level since Feb. 6.

Hospitals in the Lehigh Valley reported 174 COVID-19 patients Tuesday compared with 158 Monday, including 38 in intensive care, and 15 on ventilators.

Hospitals in the five-county region including Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Schuylkill and Monroe report 276 patients, with 61 in intensive care, and 18 on ventilators. Regional hospitalizations have increased 27.6% over the last week, and are up 16.1% in the last 30 days.

The latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there are 7.93 million fully vaccinated people in Pennsylvania, accounting for 62% of the population. An additional 2.78 million people are in need of their follow-up shot. In total, 19 million shots have been put into the arms of 10.71 million people, or 83.7% of the state’s residents.

Included in those statewide numbers are 438,282 Lehigh Valley residents who are fully vaccinated, accounting for 65.0% of the local population. In total, 592,550 locals have received 932,100 shots in the arm, accounting for 87.8% of the Valley’s population.

An average of 65,507 vaccinations are being administered to Pennsylvania residents each day, according to CDC data. Of those, 37,579 are first doses. The number of total vaccinations per day is up 48.2% over the last 30 days. The number of first doses being given per day is up 79.6% over the last 30 days.

The Lehigh Valley reported 429 additional cases, 216 in Lehigh County and 213 in Northampton County. That brings the total to 99,256.

One new death, in Lehigh County, brings the total to 1,767 (958 in Lehigh, 809 in Northampton).

— Eugene Tauber

PENNSYLVANIA