Coronavirus in Pa.: 758 new cases as infections have dropped in recent days – PennLive

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 758 new coronavirus cases Friday, continuing a decline in new infections over the past week.

The number of new cases has dipped in recent days, after steadily climbing since the middle of June. Over the past seven days, the state has reported, on average, 747 new cases each day. During the previous seven-day period, the state recorded more than 900 new infections, on average, each day. The health department hasnt reported 1,000 new cases in a single day since July 28.

Since the pandemic began, 117,279 Pennsylvanians have contracted the coronavirus, according to the health department.

Across Pennsylvania, 7,297 deaths have been tied to COVID-19, including 15 new fatalities reported Friday. More than two-thirds of the states coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes.

Fewer people are dying or requiring hospital care, compared to the peak of the virus in the spring. But Gov. Tom Wolf and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine expressed concern over the rise of cases throughout late June and July, especially as more young adults were getting infected.

Between July 31 and August 6, the state administered 148,658 coronavirus tests. There were 24,388 test results reported to the department Thursday by 10 p.m.

Since the pandemics first cases in Pennsylvania were reported, 1,199,620 people have tested negative, the health department said.

A closer look

The state data show the trend of new cases over recent weeks.

July 4-10: 5,135 new cases, an average of 733 per day

July 11-17: 5,602 new cases, an average of 800 per day

July 18-24: 6,093 new cases, an average of 870 per day

July 25-31: 6,477 new cases, an average of 925 per day

Aug. 1-7: 5,231 new cases, an average of 747 per day

The governor has said the state is continuing to boost its testing capacity. The state has been averaging about 22,000 tests per day, far above the peak in April, when about 8,000 tests were done each day.

Were going to continue to build up our testing and contact tracing, Wolf said in a news conference Thursday.

The governor also said the state needs to do a better job of turning test results around, as some are waiting for up to two weeks to get their results.

Wolf said Thursday the states positive test rate is just under 5 percent, a level health care experts has said is a level indicating problems controlling the spread of the virus.

On Thursday, Wolf recommended high schools hold off on sports until Jan. 1, 2021. The governors office later said it was a strong recommendation but not a mandate.

Republican lawmakers criticized Wolfs recommendation and said schools should decide on their own about the fall sports schedule and whether to move forward. The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, which oversees high school sports, said it would release a statement Friday afternoon.

Nursing homes

Statewide, 4,968 coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and personal care homes.

There are 19,860 residents in long-term care facilities who have contracted COVID-19, along with 4,122 employees. A total of 23,982 in those facilities have been infected. Cases have been found at 872 long-term care facilities in 61 counties.

Statewide, 8,573 health care workers have been infected with the coronavirus.

The health department said 77 percent of all Pennsylvanians who have been infected have recovered. The department considers patients to have recovered when they are 30 days beyond the date of infection or the onset of symptoms.

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