COVID-19 hospitalizations in Pa. decrease for first time in 19 days; 23,775 new infections – Sunbury Daily Item

The Daily Item

Pennsylvania hospitalizations from COVID-19 decreased by 138 on Saturday, ending a run of 18 consecutive days with increases.

According to data released by the state Department of Health, there were 7,378 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Saturday, a day after the state surpassed 7,500 hospitalizations for the first time in the pandemic.

The state also recorded 23,775 new infections, the smallest increase in four days, but the 12th day in a row with at least 20,000 new cases.

The 18 highest one-day totals for new COVID-19 cases have come in the past 18 days.

There were 361 new infections in the Valley, the third straight day with more than 100 and the 11th in a row with at least 200. Northumberland County registered 179 new cases the 11th day in a row with at least 100 cases. Union County added 92 cases, while Snyder added 61 and Montour 29.

Statewide there were 185 new deaths, the most in three days, but none were in the four Valley counties. It was the fifth day in a row with at least 100 deaths linked to the coronavirus statewide.

Through 15 days, January 2022 is the ninth-deadliest month of the 23-month pandemic in Pennsylvania, averaging 127 deaths per day. In December 2021, the third-deadliest month of the pandemic, the state averaged 105 per day.

All 67 Pennsylvania counties continued to see high community transmission of the disease on Friday, meaning at least 100 new cases per 100,000 residents over the previous seven days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Nationwide, 99.53 percent of counties were showing high levels of transmission. The CDC reports 0.19 percent only 6 counties nationwide are showing low levels. All 50 states have high levels of community transmission. There are 13 counties nationwide that arent seeing high levels of community transmission.

According to the CDC, 74.8 percent of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated.

Anyone who has had two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is considered fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

It was the first time since Dec. 27 COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state decreased. From Dec. 27 to Jan. 14, there were 3,157 new hospitalizations.

The number of patients being treated with severe symptoms also remained high there were 1,144 in intensive care units (ICUs), down 13, and 724 were breathing using ventilators, up three.

There were 184 patients hospitalized locally on Saturday, down one the second consecutive day with a small decrease.

There were 129 patients at Geisinger in Danville, 20 at Geisinger-Shamokin both the same as reported Friday and 34 at Evangelical Community Hospital, down one. Geisingers main campus in Danville had 35 patients in the ICU and 25 on a ventilator, both the same as Friday. Shamokin had six in the ICU.

At Evangelical, there were 10 patients in the ICU down one and two on a ventilator.

At the United States Penitentiary (USP) in Lewisburg, there were 140 active inmate cases and two staff infections, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons, the same numbers as reported since Thursday.

At Allenwood, there were 130 inmate cases at the low-security unit along with two staff cases even with Fridays report. At the Allenwood medium-security facility, there were 8 inmate cases, even with the total reported Friday. There were seven inmate and one staff case at USP Allenwood, also the same as Friday.

There were 22 inmate cases up five Saturday and 29 staff cases up three at the State Correctional Institution in Coal Township, according to the state Department of Corrections (DOC). Statewide, there were 844 inmate cases up 125 and 698 staff cases up 21.

There were 33 staff cases and 11 resident cases at the Selinsgrove State Center, the same numbers as reported since Thursday.

There were 10 staff cases and less than five client cases at Danville State Hospital. At the North Central Secure Treatment Unit there were positive cases among staffers at the boys unit and among residents in boys and girls units, along with five cases among staffers in the girls unit, according to the state Department of Human Services (DHS). Infection totals at those facilities did not change since Friday.

DHS does not report case numbers when they are fewer than five to avoid identifying individuals.

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COVID-19 hospitalizations in Pa. decrease for first time in 19 days; 23,775 new infections - Sunbury Daily Item