Schuylkill County sets daily record; Pa. hospitalizations drop

The Pennsylvania Health Department reported 7,714 newcases of the coronavirus on Friday and 9,253 Saturday, bringing the two-day total to 16,967.

While the statewide daily case numbers are creeping up, hospitalizations are down about 16% from a peak on Dec. 16 of 6,346. To date, there have been 657,292 infections statewide since the start of the pandemic in March.

Additionally, Schuylkill County set a one-day record Saturday for new cases, with 363.

Here are details from the daily update, which includes information for Saturday and New Year’s Day.

Deaths

Overall: 261 new deaths, for a total of 16,239. The Lehigh Valley recorded 15 more deaths during the two days, for a total of 949.

Senior care: 132 new deaths in nursing or personal care facilities, which brings the total to 9,004.

Hospitalizations

Some 5,460 people were hospitalized as of Saturday afternoon, compared to 5,624 Friday. On each of those days, more than 600 people were on ventilators.

In the Lehigh Valley, 432 people were hospitalized on Saturday, 385 in Lehigh

County and 47 in Northampton County.

Testing

The overall positive rate is nowat 15%. Some 3.29 million people have tested negative.

Lehigh Valley

Cases: 618 new cases Friday, 754 new cases Saturday, bringing the total to 1,372 (759 in in Lehigh County and 613 in Northampton County).

Deaths: 13 newdeaths Friday and two on Saturday (eight in Lehigh and seven in Northampton).

Other developments

As of New Year’s Day, 128,800 doses of the vaccine have been administered statewide.