Hospitalizations related to covid continue to fall in Pa.

For the third consecutive day, Pennsylvania on Saturday reported a significant drop in the number of patients who are hospitalized with covid-19, according to the state Department of Health.

The state reported that 3,997 patients are hospitalized with the virus. That’s down from 4,882 on Wednesday.

The number of newly reported cases ticked upward, however, as the state added 5,785 cases. That brings the total since the pandemic struck here last March to 799,957.

Of the 3,997 people hospitalized with covid, 803 are in an intensive care unit and 479 require a ventilator, according to state data.

There are 6,043 total ventilators in the state, and 1,777 are in use by patients suffering any ailment, according to the health department.

Of the state’s 3,656 adult ICU beds, 636 were available Saturday.

Of the newly reported cases, 4,737 were confirmed. 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.

The state also reported 205 additional deaths related to the coronavirus, bringing the overall tally to 20,526.

Since the coronavirus was first reported in the state last March, 3,546,910 people have tested negative, according to the state. The state reports that 79% of cases are listed as “recovered.”

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 61,355 resident cases of covid-19, and 11,522 cases among employees, for a total of 72,877 at 1,528 distinct facilities in all 67 counties.

Of the state’s 20,526 total deaths, 10,217 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities.

Health care workers account for about 22,119 of the state’s total cases.