Allegheny County passes 30,000 coronavirus cases

Allegheny County on Thursday reported 1,028 new coronavirus cases and 20 new deaths.

The county has seen an average of 656 new cases per day over the past seven days, while adding 4,591 new cases in that time.

It took Allegheny County 166 days to hit 10,000 cases of coronavirus and another 80 days after that to hit 20,000. It took the county only 18 days after that to hit the 30,000 mark.

The new deaths attributed to covid-19 range from Nov. 13-27. The ages of the deceased were: one person in their 40s, one in their 50s, two in their 70s, seven in their 80s, eight in their 90s, and one person over 100. Eight deaths were associated with long-term care facilities.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health puts Allegheny’s death total at 551, a discrepancy usually attributed to different reporting methods.

The county reported that 962 of the new cases were confirmed through 2,614 PCR tests conducted from Nov. 17 to Wednesday. Out of the new cases, the department said 66 were probable.

The state Department of Health defines a probable case as one in which a patient has “a positive serology (antibody) test and either covid-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure” to someone who has been confirmed to have coronavirus.

New cases range in age from one month to 98 years with a median age of 44. The age groups of the newly reported cases — 493 male and 535 female — are:

• 0-4: 16
• 5-12: 32
• 13-18: 54
• 19-24: 91
• 25-49: 407
• 50-64: 230
• 65+: 198

According to the state’s covid-19 tracking website, of the 663 Allegheny County residents in the hospital with the virus, 188 of them are in intensive care units and 97 of them are on ventilators.

“It pains me to report these numbers. I had hoped we’d never see this level of community spread. This heartbreaking milestone must move our community into action. I implore to you cancel parties, weddings, gatherings and events, and stay home whenever possible,” Health Department Director Dr. Debra Bogen said in a release.

“My heart goes out to all the families who have lost loved ones throughout this pandemic. We can, and we must do better.”

Speaking on Wednesday Bogen said that it is important for people to remain focused on preventing spread and exposure to the virus by wearing masks, avoiding large or indoor gatherings and leaving home only when necessary.

“I am truly worried for the next couple of weeks,” she said.