Nearly 200 new deaths, thousands hospitalized from COVID-19 reported in Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH — The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 8,291 new positive cases of coronavirus and 194 deaths Wednesday.

According to health officials, there have been 375,431 total COVID-19 cases statewide, while 4,744 people are currently hospitalized from the virus -- 967 are in the ICU. The state health department said the 14-day average of hospitalized patients per day has increased by nearly 3,300 since September.

You can see a county-by-county breakdown of COVID-19 numbers in Pa. HERE.

There were 508 new COVID-19 cases and 10 new deaths reported Wednesday in Allegheny County. According to the Allegheny County Health Department, 449 of the new cases are confirmed cases from 1,270 tests. The remaining 59 cases are probable cases.

New cases range in age from 3 months to 100 years, with a median age of 47 years. The dates of positive tests were from Nov. 14 to Dec. 1. Fourteen positive tests were more than a week old.

The 10 new deaths were one person in their 60s, one person in their 70s, five people in their 80s, two people in their 90s and one person over 100. They died between Nov. 18 and Nov. 30.

According to Dr. Debra Bogen, there were 12,608 cases reported in county residents in November. This accounts for 40% of all cases reported since March. The stay-at-home advisory was issued two weeks ago, but Bogen said the numbers haven’t dropped significantly yet.

“I have tremendous respect for all the hard work of our health care workers,” Bogen said. “Please, I ask you again: limit or stop your travel.”

Bogen again asked people to reschedule parties until the spring, to not hold gatherings inside, wear a mask and keep your distance from others. She said the county departments come into play with the later phases of the state’s plan to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. She also said the area could start to see more cases tied to Thanksgiving gatherings by the end of the week.

UK approves Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for emergency use (NCD)

Cox Media Group