COVID cases down, deaths still rise as CDC puts zero PA counties at high community level
Deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise in Pennsylvania, according to the latest data from state health officials, even as cases and other metrics decline.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 158 new COVID deaths Feb. 1. Those were reported during the period from Jan. 25 to 31.
It is at least the second week in a row deaths have risen, with 134 causalities reported for the prior week. Since the onset of the pandemic, 49,791 individuals in the commonwealth have died from the virus.
New reported cases have fallen, however. The health department counted 10,049 in the latest reporting week, compared to 10,651 the week prior.
Those cases counts are incomplete as they do not include positive test results from at-home kits or those not reported to health officials.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates as of Friday, cases, deaths and hospitalizations are trending down across the nation.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in the commonwealth have also fallen slightly. The department of health reports 1,214 patients hospitalized as of its Feb. 1 census, down from 1,258 the week prior.
The number in adult intensive care units fell from 162 to 157, and 75 are on ventilators.
Just 18.1% of Pennsylvanians got the bivalent COVID shot. These counties have lowest rate
COVID-19 community levels
For the first time in several months, the CDC indicates no Pennsylvania counties are at a high community level as of Friday.
Last week, Pike County was considered at high, but it has fallen to medium as of the Thursday update.
In areas at high, the CDC recommends masking in public, indoor places. At medium, those at greater risk of severe COVID-19 should consider masking and other measures.
Across the state, the number of counties at medium has inched up, however, going from 26 to 30, while 37 remain at low.
The community levels are calculated weekly on Thursdays for all U.S. counties and are based on new cases and hospitalizations per 100,000 individuals (seven-day totals) and the percent of COVID-occupied and staffed hospital beds (a seven-day average).
COVID-19 in Centre County
Centre County remains at a low community level as of Friday. One contiguous county, Union, is at medium.
According to CDC data, 114 new cases were reported in Centre County for the week ending Feb. 1, with a case rate of 70.2 per 100,000 individuals.
The positivity rate is up slightly at 12.57%. It is important to note that like new cases counts, this rate is an undercount and does not include all positive tests.
As of Friday, Mount Nittany Health was reporting 10 COVID hospitalizations, down from 11 at the end of January. Those patients range in age from 22 to 95, and one is in the ICU.
The bivalent booster is available to most individuals and offers protection against more recent omicron strains of the coronavirus. Pennsylvania’s uptake of the updated booster has been slow, with slightly more than 18% of the population age 5 and older having received it.
To find a shot near you, visit vaccines.gov or talk to your health care provider.
