Department of Health: 1,376 new positive cases of COVID-19 in PA; 27 new deaths
Posted: Oct 8, 2020 / 12:17 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 8, 2020 / 12:17
Posted: Updated:
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported as of 12 a.m. October 8th that there were 1,376 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 167,928.
Allegheny is reporting an increase of 128 cases and Philadelphia is reporting an increase of 122 cases.
The department also reported 27 new deaths, bringing the statewide total to 8,299 total deaths.
The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between October 1st and October 7th is 210,227 with 7,585 positive cases. There were 32,653 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., October 7th.
Yesterday, Oct. 7th, the department reported 1,309 new positive cases of COVID-19 and 28 new deaths.
Pennsylvanians are urged to download the COVID Alert PA app.
“We know that congregation, especially in college and university settings, yields increased case counts. The mitigation efforts in place now are essential to flattening the curve and saving lives,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and following the requirements set forth in the orders for bars and restaurants, gatherings, and telework will help keep our case counts low. Make your phone part of the fight against COVID-19 today by downloading the COVID Alert PA exposure notification app. Together, as Pennsylvanians, all of our efforts are designed to support our communities to ensure that cases of COVID-19 remain low.”
Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
There are 1,013 cases who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 646 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure. There are 1,985,103 patients who have tested negative to date.
Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.
The department is seeing significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases among younger age groups, particularly 19 to 24-year-olds. An alert was sent to healthcare providers about the changing COVID-19 case demographics, as there are more cases in younger age groups than in those 50-64 and 65+.
In nursing and personal care homes, there are 23,611 resident cases of COVID-19, and 5,229 cases among employees, for a total of 28,840. Out of Pennsylvania’s total deaths, 5,528 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.
As of today, 11,160 of Pennsylvania’s total cases are in health care workers.
The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
- Clean surfaces frequently.
- Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
- If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
- Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa.
All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts