Virus cases cross the 55,000 mark
More than two months after Pennsylvania’s first coronavirus case was diagnosed, the state’s case count reached 55,316 on Saturday, including a total of 3,688 deaths.
The statewide totals represent an increase of 1,078 cases and 72 deaths since the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s briefing on Friday.
The Lehigh Valley had 68 new cases — 29 in Lehigh County and 39 in Northampton County, with 11 new deaths — six in Lehigh and five in Northampton. The Valley’s case total is 5,530, with 278 deaths, though state death totals have been lagging behind county reports.
Most of the patients hospitalized and most deaths in the state have been people 65 or older, and two-thirds of the deaths have been in nursing homes.
The latest numbers were reported by the state Health Department just as restrictions were eased in 24 counties by Gov. Tom Wolf, who shut down the state about two weeks after the virus surfaced here. In those counties, mostly in northern and central Pennsylvania where populations are comparatively low, stay-at-home orders were lifted Friday and retail stores were allowed to open. But people there are still told to practice social distancing and wear masks, and restaurant dining rooms remain closed.
Next Friday, 13 more counties, mostly in western Pennsylvania, will go from red to yellow, in the governor’s three-phase approach to reopening the state.
“As we prepare to move a number of counties from red to yellow, we need all Pennsylvanians to continue to follow the social distancing and mitigation efforts in place,” Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said Saturday in a news release. “We must continue to protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, which includes our seniors, those with underlying health issues, our health care workers and our first responders. I am proud of the work that Pennsylvanians have done so far, but we cannot stop now, we must continue to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from COVID-19.”
Wolf on Thursday extended the stay-at-home order for the rest of the state until June 4. House Republicans blasted the decision and called for the widespread lifting of restrictions.
The governor has not said if the order might be lifted earlier in the Lehigh Valley, though some local legislators have pressed him to do so.
According to state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Northampton County, some infectious disease experts believe the region could safely have some restrictions lifted.
“The trend is positive. The peak was like three weeks ago,” Boscola said of the pandemic’s effect on the region. “I always felt the Lehigh Valley should go into yellow sooner rather than later.”
In being cautious with parts of the state like the Lehigh Valley, where the rate of new cases per 100,000 people exceeds 50 over a two-week period, Wolf said, “We are just making the best judgment we can in keeping people safe.”
According to Saturday’s state update, 221,791 people have tested negative for the virus.
Of the people who have tested positive, 37% were ages 25 to 49, the most affected age group, followed by individuals 65 or older at nearly 28%, then those ages 50 to 64 at 26%.
Ryan Kneller can be reached 610-820-6597, or rkneller@mcall.com. Morning Call senior journalist Eugene Tauber contributed to this story.