Pennsylvania’s total cases of COVID-19 climbed closer to 79,000 on Sunday with the addition of 336 new cases and four deaths.
The data released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Sunday likely represents a weekend reporting lag.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases helps smooth out daily variances in data reporting. It shows a continued downward trend.
The statewide total stands at 78,798 cases and 6,215 deaths. The majority of those who’ve been hospitalized and died are 65 and older.
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Here is your June 14, 2020 coronavirus update.
Coronavirus in Pa.
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Of Pennsylvania’s 78,798 coronavirus cases, 5,982 – or 7.5% – have been in health care workers, who tend to have a high exposure risk.
Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities account for 16,578 cases – 21% of Pennsylvania’s total case count – and 4,268 deaths, or 69% of the state’s COVID-19 death toll. There are cases in 638 facilities in 45 of the state’s counties.
The health department estimates that 74% of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 patients have recovered.
State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine estimated last week that 58% of residents in long-term care facilities and 78% of employees have recovered, which means at least 30 days have passed since the patients’ first positive tests or onset of symptoms.
The department also reports that 504,435 tests to date have come back negative.
Coronavirus in the Lehigh Valley
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The Lehigh Valley’s two counties reported a total of 7,193 cases with 22 new positives tests reported in the last 24 hours.
There were eight in Northampton County and 14 in Lehigh County. There were no new deaths.
The region’s official state death toll is at least 508 residents.
Although, the Lehigh Valley’s two coroners report that at least 522 local residents have died from COVID-19, according to figures released in recent days. There is often a reporting lag in death data.
The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office has investigated 24% more deaths in the first six months of the year compared to 2019, the office reports.
The vast majority of local residents who have died are 65 and older, mirroring state and national trends.
In Lehigh County, 74% of the dead resided in long-term care facilities and the average age was 84 years of age, according to data released Friday. Of the 276 deaths, 88% were confirmed COVID-19 deaths by testing while 31 are presumed positives.
The average age of those who died in Northampton County was almost 83, according to an update June 9. The data was current as of June 5.
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Northampton County did report good news out of Gracedale, the county-owned nursing home in Upper Nazareth Township, on Thursday.
There were only four new cases the week ending June 5 compared to 22 the week before. Since March, the disease caused by the coronavirus has killed 66 Gracedale residents.
“The sharp decline may correspond to a change in testing strategy recently implemented at the nursing home,” according to a county news release.
Gracedale was only testing residents displaying COVID-19 symptoms, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Now, the nursing home is testing roommates of any patient who displays COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive. Ill residents are moved to an isolation ward and roommates are kept in quarantine for 14 days, even if they test negative.
The nursing home has now now tested 66% of its 600 residents and found 230 who were positive. While 49 of Gracedale’s 700 employees have tested positive, 44 have finished their quarantine periods and are back at work.
The state is requiring all of its 693 nursing homes test every resident and employee by July 24.
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Sara K. Satullo may be reached at [email protected].
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