Pennsylvania posts 11,000 new coronavirus cases; 201 new deaths

Pennsylvania on Saturday reported 11,084 new coronavirus cases, as the Keystone State gets closer to accumulating 500,000 cases.

The new data bring the total cases to 481,118; a nearly 70,000-case jump from this time last week (411,484).

Officials said 40,580 of total cases are considered probable. Health officials define a probable case as one in which a patient has a positive viral antigen test or covid symptoms with a “high-risk exposure” to someone who has been confirmed to have coronavirus.

The state also reported 201 new deaths.

The total number of covid-19 deaths in Pennsylvania is 12,436.

Health officials say there are 5,668 patients currently hospitalized in the state.

Out of that number, 1,151 patients are in an intensive care unit — 86 more than this time last week. These numbers show 1 of 5, or 20%, of hospitalized patients are in an ICU.

Officials say positivity rate in the state during the past week is 16.2%.

Out of the new cases, 1,198 — or 10.8% — are from Allegheny County.

West­moreland County reported 568 cases Saturday which amounted to 5% of the state’s cases.

More than 3 million people in Pennsylvania have tested negative for the virus out of a total of 3.5 million people in the state who have been tested.

The overall positivity rate is about 13.7%.

According to the state Health Department, the most severe cases are seen in patients over the age of 65. This group accounts for the largest age demographic for hospitalizations and deaths.

In nursing and personal care homes, there have been 43,225 cases in residents and 7,925 in employees.

There have been 7,451 deaths at nursing and personal care homes. These deaths account for about 60% of the state’s total. About 1,390 nursing facilities have been affected by the virus.

Of the total coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania, 16,562 stem from health care workers.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday enacted new restrictions throughout the commonwealth affecting indoor dining, school sports and exercising in gymnasiums.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine urges people to continue to exercise caution when in public — mainly by maintaining social distance and wearing masks.

Mask-wearing is required in all businesses in the state, an action that health officials say is critical preventing the spread of the virus.

She also recommends cleaning surfaces thoroughly and often, and suggests that coughs and sneezes are covered with the inside of the elbows instead of the hands.

Speaking of hands, it is strongly suggested that people wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t available.