Nov. 6 update: Pa. sets 1-day COVID-19 case record; Centre County has 79 new positives
Pennsylvania reported the highest daily increase in cases of the new coronavirus Friday, continuing a nearly weeklong trend of record-setting case counts.
The Keystone State added 3,384 new cases, the state health department said, which topped the previous single-day high of 2,900. There was also a record number of tests reported to the DOH — 49,528 through 10 p.m. Thursday.
Centre County added 79 new cases, its highest single-day total since Oct. 24. The county has reported 4,500 cases and 38,654 negative tests.
A 20th death attributed to COVID-19 was confirmed Thursday by the Centre County Coroner’s Office.
An 80-year-old man died Wednesday at Mount Nittany Medical Center, county Coroner Scott Sayers said. He was “just admitted” to the hospital from a long-term care facility in the 16801 ZIP code.
Deaths confirmed by the county coroner’s office range in age from 62 to 101. The DOH has attributed 21 deaths to COVID-19, an increase of one since Thursday.
Twenty-three patients are hospitalized in the county due to the disease, an increase of four since Thursday. Seventeen people are hospitalized at Mount Nittany Medical Center, ranging in age from 47 to 89.
Hospitalizations at rehab hospitals are included in the DOH tally, spokesperson Nate Wardle wrote in an email.
There have been 14 patients admitted to Mount Nittany since Sunday, with an average of 16 patients per day. The health care system treated 58 patients in October, with an average of 11 patients per day.
The hospital treated an average of two patients per day in September.
The monthlong increase of admissions due to COVID-19 is “concerning,” Chief Medical Officer Nirmal Joshi said in a statement.
“Increased cases and hospitalizations — especially among vulnerable elderly populations — remains cause for concern,” Joshi said. “It is also a reminder to be even more vigilant and thoughtful in consistently practicing preventive measures, including masking, social distancing and frequent hand washing.”
The breakdown of confirmed Centre County cases by ZIP code is as follows, according to the DOH:
- 16801 (State College): 2,598 (32 new cases)
- 16802 (University Park): 690 (13 new cases)
- 16803 (State College): 296 (4 new cases)
- 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 224 (13 new cases)
- 16686 (Tyrone): 99 (1 new case)
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 51 (2 new cases)
- 16827 (Boalsburg): 42
- 16866 (Philipsburg): 42 (1 new case)
- 16828 (Centre Hall): 39
- 16875 (Spring Mills): 37 (1 new case)
- 16841 (Howard): 34
- 16853 (Milesburg): 32
- 16822 (Beech Creek): 22 (2 new cases)
- 16877 (Warriors Mark): 17
- 16851 (Lemont): 14
- 16666 (Osceola Mills): 14 (1 new case)
- 16820 (Aaronsburg): 12
- 16854 (Millheim): 11
- 16845 (Karthaus): 10
- 16860 (Munson): 9
- 16844 (Julian): 9 (1 new case)
- 16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 8
- 16804 (State College): 7
- 16829 (Clarence): 7
- 16826 (Blanchard): 6
- 16868 (Pine Grove Mills): 6
- 16872 (Rebersburg): 6
- 16874 (Snow Shoe): 6 (1 new case)
- 16677, 16832, 16852, 16856, 16859, 16864, 16882: 1-4 cases each
The state does not provide specific numbers when there are fewer than five cases to protect patient privacy, and does not identify exactly where a case occurred in a ZIP code that spans multiple counties.
Cases among long-term care facility residents have markedly increased since Oct. 15, when 60 residents were diagnosed with COVID-19.
There have been 152 cases among long-term care facility residents, 44 cases among staff and 20 deaths in 13 long-term care facilities in the county, according to the DOH.
About two-thirds of the state’s 8,975 deaths have been reported in nursing or personal care homes.
This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 12:12 PM.