Pennsylvania saw spike in covidies and hospitalizations in March

Pennsylvania’s Covid-19 cases saw an upturn in March, although nothing resembles what was experienced last fall earlier this year.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported an additional 3,893 cases on Thursday; and the state’s seven-day case average reached 4,073.

The seven-day total of cases is 28,510, a change of 21.8% from last Thursday.

The state experienced several days with more than 4,000 cases in March.

Cases in the state peaked on a seven-day average on December 16, 2020 with 10,579 cases. Since then, the numbers have mostly come down with some twists and turns.

One of those twists and turns happened in March: the seven-day average of March 1 cases was 2,607, while the month ended with an average of 4,034.

In total, there was a 5.4% increase in cases in March compared to February. (Although February recorded 56% fewer cases than in January.)

Allegheny and Westmoreland counties followed similar paths, but in smaller numbers.

Allegheny County also recorded a high seven-day case average on December 16, 2020 out of 1,067 cases. For Westmoreland County, the seven-day case average on that date was 469, a high.

Cases in Allegheny County increased 23.4% in March compared to February. In Westmoreland County, it was 16.8%.

Allegheny County officials on Wednesday spoke of an increase in cases and a possible increase in cases indicating an increase in people ignoring mitigation strategies associated with more cases of covid-19 variants.

Dr Debra Bogen, director of the Allegheny County health department, warned that there is a “basis for an outbreak” and said: “We are back to where we were in mid-January.”

She said investigations into the cases show transmission occurs at gatherings large and small, often without a mask.

According to state data, Allegheny County added 327 newly reported cases to climb to 86,007, while Westmoreland’s additional 87 cases brought its total to 29,265.

The total number of cases in Pennsylvania is 1,028,750.

Hospitalizations

Covid-related hospitalizations continued to increase statewide.

The number of residents hospitalized with the virus is 2,127, up 52 from Wednesday, state data showed. This follows the addition of 95 hospitalizations Wednesday, 64 Tuesday and 60 Monday.

There are currently 209 covid patients on ventilators and 435 in intensive care units.

After starting March with 1,716 people hospitalized, the number fell to 1,433 patients by the middle of the month, but has now risen again to more than 2,000 hospitalizations. State hospitalizations peaked in December and, after dropping, have crept in in recent weeks.

According to state data, 224 residents of Allegheny County are hospitalized for covid (up to six from Wednesday), 65 of them are in intensive care units and 19 of them are under fans.

In Westmoreland County, 23 patients with covid are hospitalized, three in intensive care and two on ventilators. The state has yet to explain its data error which saw hospitalizations in the county drop suddenly from 117 on March 17 to March 26 on March 18.

Death

The state’s health department reported 27 more covid-related deaths, with the state’s total rising to 25,120. Of the 27 deaths newly reported on Thursday, 26 are from March and one from January.

The Allegheny County Health Department added 12 deaths to bring its total to 1,784, with dates ranging from December 18 to March 27.

Ten of the deaths were in March and three were associated with a long-term care facility, according to the county. Among the new deaths reported: one person was in their 50s; two people were in their sixties; five were 80 years old; three were 90 years old; and one was in the hundred.

The state health department has a total of 1,817 deaths in Allegheny County. No reason was given to explain the divergence between the two health services.

Westmoreland County saw one additional covid-related death, bringing the county’s total number of covid deaths to 706.

Vaccinations

The state announced Wednesday that all Pennsylvania residents will be eligible to schedule appointments for the covid vaccination starting this month.

The state has also launched an initiative to expand vaccine eligibility to targeted industry workers, moving them to Phase 1A. The state has also established a timeline for Phases 1B, 1C and 2.

Beginning April 19, all residents of the state will be able to schedule immunization appointments.

According to state and county data, more than 4.3 million people (34.4% of residents) have received at least one dose of a covid vaccine, and more than 2.1 million have been fully immunized ( 16.9% of residents).

These figures include data from both the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Philadelphia Department of Health, which maintain separate records for vaccinations in the state.

The state reported that 434,096 residents of Allegheny County (35.4% of residents) had received at least one dose of a covidial vaccine, while 218,994 people were fully covered (17.9% of residents).

The state reported that 109,920 of Westmoreland County residents (30.1% of residents) had received at least one dose of a covid vaccine, while 57,390 people are fully covered (15.7% of residents).