COVID hospitalization rates on the rise

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 5,766 additional coronavirus cases Tuesday. The seven-day moving average of newly reported cases was 5,709 cases per day, down 6.8% from a week ago, but up 50% over the last 30 days.

To date, there have been 1.74 million infections statewide.

Case rates are falling in 45 of the state’s 67 counties, including five area counties. Carbon, Lehigh and Montgomery are seeing higher case averages this week than last.

While Schuylkill County’s rate is falling, it has the highest rate in the region when adjusted for population, adding 510.8 cases each week for every 100,000 residents, which is the eighth highest rate in the state.

The highest rates statewide are in Potter (623.3), Lycoming (542.8), Crawford (541.2), Fulton (523.1) and Cambria (514.6). The lowest rates are in Philadelphia (142.6), Delaware (152.6), Bucks (191.3), Montgomery (195.8) and Sullivan (197.8). All counties are above the 100 population-adjusted weekly case rate to be classified as areas of high community transmission.

There were 113 additional deaths reported Tuesday. The seven-day moving average of deaths per day is 59.7, compared with 74.3 a week ago, a decrease of 19.6% in the last seven days. Pennsylvania has recorded 33,421 deaths since March 2020.

The latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there are 7.04 million fully vaccinated people in Pennsylvania, accounting for 55% of the population.

An additional 3.44 million people are in need of their follow-up shot. In total, 18.26 million shots have been put into the arms of 10.49 million people, or 81.9% of the state’s residents.

Included in those statewide numbers are 400,800 Lehigh Valley residents who are fully vaccinated, accounting for 59.4% of the local population. In total, 563,405 locals have received 949,998 shots in the arm, accounting for 83.5% of the Valley’s population.

The CDC recently reviewed its Pennsylvania vaccination data and found duplicate reports from vaccination providers. They posted revised data Nov. 23 resulting in the removal of 523,325 recipients of first doses and 1.15 million total vaccine doses. The numbers posted above are from the revised data, but comparisons to rates from 30 days ago cannot be made.

Data combined from the state and Philadelphia health departments show that more than 1.64 million additional and booster vaccinations have been administered to Pennsylvanians since Aug. 13.

There were 3,876 people hospitalized as of midday Tuesday, compared with 3,734 Monday. Of those, 873 were in intensive care, and 498 were on ventilators. Statewide hospitalizations have increased 12.7% over the last week, and are up 29.4% in the last 30 days.

Hospitals in the Lehigh Valley reported 244 COVID-19 patients Tuesday compared with 224 Monday, including 47 in intensive care, and 18 on ventilators.

Hospitals in the five-county region including Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Schuylkill and Monroe report 360 patients, with 74 in intensive care, and 24 on ventilators. Regional hospitalizations have increased 14% over the last week, and are up 42.2% in the last 30 days.

The Lehigh Valley reported 334 additional cases, 183 in Lehigh County and 151 in Northampton County. That brings the total to 101,513.

Three new deaths (two in Lehigh County, one in Northampton County) bring the total to 1,779 (963 in Lehigh, 816 in Northampton).