Pennsylvania reported on Thursday a record high increase in new COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row to push the statewide total to more than 2 million since the start of the pandemic, according to Department of Health data.
The 19,436 new positives are 1,916 more than the previous single-day high set on Wednesday. The seven-day moving average for new cases is 10,766, up from 7,193 a week ago.
Since March 2020, the commonwealth has had 2,013,156 COVID-19 cases.
With 135 new COVID-19 deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, the statewide total now stands at 36,639.
Centre County registered one new COVID-19 death and 234 more cases of the virus on Thursday.
The death is the county’s 288th attributed to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic and 30th reported this month.
The new cases bring Centre County’s total to 25,892 (23,377 confirmed and 2,515 probable).
Hospitalizations
Mount Nittany Medical Center is treating 43 COVID-positive inpatients, one fewer than on Wednesday, ranging in age from 29 to 89, according to a hospital spokesperson.
The medical center has not yet updated its COVID-19 inpatient dashboard for Thursday with information about the number of patients in intensive care and on ventilators or vaccination status. On Wednesday, 61% of COVID inpatients were not vaccinated.
Pennsylvania has 5,003 COVID-19 inpatients, 190 more than on Wednesday, with 976 in intensive care [+50] and 608 on ventilators [+15], according to the DOH hospital preparedness dashboard. Statewide hospitalizations increased for the fourth consecutive day and are at their highest level since Jan. 13.
An estimated 88% of COVID-19 patients in the state have recovered, according to a DOH calculation that considers a case as recovered if it has not been reported as a death and it is more than 30 days past the date of the first positive test or onset of symptoms.
Prison cases
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Benner state prison has three active COVID-19 cases among inmates and 20 among staff, one more than on Wednesday.
Rockview state prison has 27 active inmate cases [-2] and 16 among staff [+5].
Both facilities are in Benner Township.
At Benner, 1,520 inmates are fully vaccinated, nine are partially vaccinated and 190 are not vaccinated. Among staff, 303 are fully vaccinated and 325 are not vaccinated.
Rockview has 1,684 inmates who are fully vaccinated and 61 who are not vaccinated. Among staff, 343 are fully vaccinated [+2], one is partially vaccinated [+1] and 373 are not vaccinated [-3].
Transmission level
Centre County remains at the highest level for community transmission of COVID-19 on the Centers for Disease Control scale, according to the latest county-level data update.
Across Pennsylvania, 66 of 67 counties are at the highest level on the scale, which ranges from low to moderate to substantial to high. Forest County is listed as moderate.
Transmission levels are based on positivity rate and cases per 100,000 people for the previous seven days. At the substantial and high levels, CDC guidance recommends all people, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in public indoor settings.
Vaccinations
As of Thursday morning, 90,975 people in Centre County are fully vaccinated, an increase of 66 since the last update on Tuesday, and 12,474 are partially covered [+162]. Booster doses have been administered to 35,773 county residents [+448].
Among the county’s entire population, 65.7% have received at least one dose and 56.9% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. Among adult residents, 71% have received at least one dose and 61.4% are fully vaccinated.
Statewide, 74% of adults and 63.7% of the total population are fully vaccinated.
Vaccination appointments through Centre Volunteers in Medicine, Mount Nittany Health and through other pharmacies and providers listed at vaccines.gov.
All individuals age 16 and older are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.
Centre County’s cases by zip code:
*Note: Changes are in brackets. Specific numbers for zip codes with 1-4 cases are redacted by the health department. Cases are not always immediately assigned zip codes.
16801 (State College): 7,155 confirmed [+33], 667 probable [+9]
16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 4,521 confirmed [+33], 412 probable [+6]
16803 (State College): 2,226 confirmed [+20], 356 probable [+17]
16802 (University Park): 1,676 confirmed [+2], 104 probable [+1]
16866 (Philipsburg): 1,476 confirmed [+8], 237 probable
16870 (Port Matilda): 883 confirmed [+8], 119 probable [+1]
16841 (Howard): 784 confirmed [+8], 86 probable
16828 (Centre Hall): 561 confirmed [+4], 56 probable
16875 (Spring Mills): 524 confirmed [+3], 61 probable
16827 (Boalsburg): 507 confirmed [+6], 72 probable [+2]
16844 (Julian): 417 confirmed [+1], 48 probable
16845 (Karthaus): 400 confirmed [+2], 30 probable
16853 (Milesburg): 218 confirmed [+1], 12 probable
16874 (Snow Shoe): 214 confirmed, 31 probable
16877 (Warrior’s Mark): 210 confirmed, 24 probable
16826 (Blanchard): 180 confirmed [+1], 14 probable
16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 147 confirmed, 15 probable [+2]
16854 (Millheim): 138 confirmed [+3], 13 probable
16820 (Aaronsburg): 133 confirmed [+1], 25 probable
16829 (Clarence): 128 confirmed [+1], 26 probable
16872 (Rebersburg): 112 confirmed, 13 probable
16851 (Lemont): 105 confirmed [+1], 19 probable [-1]
16859 (Moshannon): 73 confirmed, 5 probable
16832 (Coburn): 65 confirmed, 5 probable
16677 (Sandy Ridge): 55 confirmed, 1-4 probable
16868 (Pine Grove Mills): 53 confirmed [+2], 8 probable [+1]
16856 (Mingoville): 39 confirmed, 9 probable
16835 (Fleming): 38 confirmed, 8 probable
16852 (Madisonburg): 36 confirmed, 5 probable
16882 (Woodward): 29 confirmed [+1], 1-4 confirmed
16804 (State College): 16 confirmed [+2]
16863 (Orviston): 15 confirmed
16805 (State College): 1-4 confirmed
Cases among Centre County’s bordering counties
Blair: 22,902 [+64]
Clearfield: 14,412 [+66]
Mifflin: 9,192 [+46]
Union: 8,948 [+26]
Huntingdon: 8,443 [+34]
Clinton: 6,747 [+54]
