[ad_1]
More than 12,000 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Pennsylvania over the weekend, the state Department of Health said on Monday.
The health department said there were an additional 12,686 positive cases of COVID-19 on Saturday and Sunday, bringing the statewide total to 1,382,933. The department does not typically update the new cases over the weekend, so the state’s latest report is the first since Friday and covers two days of data.
Statewide, 2,386 people are being treated for COVID-19 in hospitals, including 602 patients in intensive care beds. The number of hospitalizations has increased since July, when around 250 people with COVID-19 were in hospital beds.
State officials said the vast majority of hospitalizations have been in people who are not fully vaccinated. From January 1 to early September, only 5% of people treated in hospitals for COVID-19 were fully vaccinated. Hospital systems serving central Pennsylvania said the vast majority of their patients had not been vaccinated.
Over the weekend, the health department said there were 52 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry. Since the start of the pandemic, 28,864 deaths in Pennsylvania have been linked to COVID-19. From January to early September, 97% of deaths from COVID-19 in the state involved people who were unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, according to the health department.
Doctors continue to stress the importance of COVID-19 vaccines for obtaining the best protection against serious illnesses. As of Sunday, 67.8% of Pennsylvania residents aged 18 and over were fully immunized, the health department said.
Statewide, the rate of positive tests for COVID-19 was 8.9% in the week of September 10 to 16, down slightly from 9.1% the week before. The rate of positive tests has been increasing steadily for several weeks.
Every county in Pennsylvania continues to display high transmission of the coronavirus, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most people who test positive for COVID-19 have relatively minor symptoms, and some don’t even get sick. But doctors and health officials say the virus poses risks to everyone, especially the elderly and those with health complications.
More from PennLive
Worker shortage is forcing restaurants in central Pennsylvania to close, delay openings, and cut hours
COVID-19 cases on the rise in these Pennsylvania zip codes this week
[ad_2]
Source link