Pennsylvania records 10th straight day with fewer than 1,000 new COVID-19 infections; 3 reported in Valley – Sunbury Daily Item

The state Department of Health reported 403 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday, the 10th consecutive day with fewer than 1,000 and the 16th time in 17 days the state hit that mark.

There were three new infections in the four Valley counties for the second consecutive day. It was the fifth time in eight days the number was three or fewer.

All three new cases were in Northumberland County.

There was only one new death reported statewide. Sunday ended a streak of five consecutive days with at least one new death in the Valley.

Fifty-nine of Pennsylvanias 67 counties were seeing low levels of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) latest updates. Eight counties, including all four in the Valley, were at the medium level. For the third week in a row, there were no counties in Pennsylvania registering high levels of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 community level is determined by the higher of the new admissions and inpatient beds metrics, based on the current level of new cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days. The reports are updated weekly.

According to data from the CDC and Johns Hopkins University, across the nation, new cases were down 7 percent over the past week, hospitalizations were down 13 percent and deaths linked to COVID-19 were down 31 percent. In Pennsylvania, the number of new COVID cases was down 19 percent over the last week, deaths were down 23 percent and hospitalizations were down 18 percent.

The CDC reported 77 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 and older were fully vaccinated, while 67.5 percent of all residents were fully vaccinated.

As of noon Sunday, there were 503 hospitalizations statewide, down 16 from Saturday. It was the 20th consecutive day hospitalizations have dropped statewide. It was the fewest COVID hospitalizations statewide since Aug. 2, 2021.

Statewide, there were 75 in intensive care units (ICUs), down eight from Saturday's report, and 51 were breathing using ventilators, the same figure as reported Saturday.

There were 30 patients hospitalized locally for the third consecutive day. There were 23 patients at Geisinger in Danville, five at Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg and two at Geisinger Shamokin.

Geisingers main campus in Danville had seven patients in the ICU and three on a ventilator. Both of Geisinger Shamokins COVID patients are being treated in the ICU.

At Evangelical, the only patient in the ICU was on a ventilator.

As of midday Sunday, there were fewer than five active cases among those receiving services and no staff cases at the Selinsgrove Center. The state Department of Human Services (DHS) does not report specific numbers if they are fewer than five to avoid identifying individuals.

At Danville State Hospital, there were no active infections among those receiving services and fewer than five cases among staff members, the same reports since late last week. At the North Central Secure Treatment Unit, there were no reported cases among youth or staff at the boys or girls facilities.

There were no active cases among staffers or inmates at the State Correctional Institution in Coal Township, according to the state Department of Corrections (DOC). Statewide, there were 19 inmate cases and another 29 staff cases both the same figures as reported Saturday. Eight prisons statewide have inmate cases as of Sunday morning, while 16 prisons have staff infections.

Federal prisons in Lewisburg and Allenwood were at Level 1 operational levels of COVID mitigation, the lowest level of modifications in the federal Bureau of Prisons mitigation plans. It means prisons have resumed normal operations while inmates and staffers wear masks indoors. No cases were reported among prisoners or staff at either facility.

As of Sunday morning, there were 49 federal prisons nationally at Level 1 (the lowest), 30 were at Level 2 and 19 were at Level 3.

Institution operational levels (Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3) are based on the facilities COVID-19 medical isolation rate, combined percentage of staff and inmate completed vaccinations series and their respective county transmission rates. At each level, an infection prevention procedure or modification to operations such as inmate programming and services may be made to mitigate the risk and spread of COVID-19 in accordance with BOP pandemic guidance.

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Pennsylvania records 10th straight day with fewer than 1,000 new COVID-19 infections; 3 reported in Valley - Sunbury Daily Item