Pennsylvania on Saturday reported 5,551 new coronavirus cases — breaking Friday’s record by 20 cases.
It marked the fifth-straight record-setting day for the Keystone State.
The state also reported 50 new deaths.
The total number of covid-19 deaths in Pennsylvania is 9,274.
The new data bring the total cases to 259,938. Officials said 15,778 are considered probable cases.
The state said there were 366,928 people tested from Sunday to Friday with 30,437 positive cases — for a 8.3% positivity rate.
There are currently 2,314 patients hospitalized with covid-19. Of those hospitalized, 480 people are in the ICU.
Out of the new cases, 370 — or 6.6% — are from Allegheny County. Philadelphia reported an increase of 1,156, accounting for nearly 21% of the state’s cases. Westmoreland County reported 155 cases (2.8%).
Officials have noted an increase in new cases from the 19- to 24-year-old age group.
For example, in Southwestern Pennsylvania that age group only made up 5% of the new cases in April, while accounting for 11% of the cases through the month of November.
“We know that congregation, especially in college and university settings, yields increased case counts,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine. “The mitigation efforts in place now are essential to flattening the curve and saving lives.”
She urges people to continue to exercise caution when in public — mainly by maintaining social distance and wearing masks.
Mask-wearing is required in all business in the state; an action that health officials say is critical preventing the spread of the virus.
About 2.52 million people in Pennsylvania have tested negative for the virus; in total, just over 2.78 million people have been tested for the virus in the state.
The overall positivity rate is about 9.2%.
According to the Health Department, the most severe cases are seen in patients over the age of 65. This group accounts for the largest age demographic for both hospitalizations and deaths.
In nursing and personal care homes, there have been 29,296 cases in residents and 6,074 in employees.
There have been 6,059 deaths at nursing and personal care homes. These deaths account for about 65% of the state’s total. About 1,148 nursing facilities have been affected by the virus.
Of the total, 13,403 coronavirus cases stem from health care workers.
Samson X Horne is a Tribune-Review digital producer. You can contact Samson at 412-320-7845, shorne@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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