Dec. 18 update: Pennsylvania adds 9,320 COVID-19 cases; Centre County adds 56
Centre County’s weekly positivity rate increased from 12.9% to 14.5%, according to the state’s early warning dashboard that was updated Friday.
Pennsylvania’s positivity rate is 15.8%, down from 16.2% the week prior.
The county added 56 cases of COVID-19 Friday, which brought the total to 8,078. There have been 7,656 confirmed cases since March 20 and 50,846 negative tests, according to state Health Department data. There are 422 probable cases.
Pennsylvania added 9,320 cases, bringing its total to 538,655. There are 6,209 people hospitalized in the Keystone State. There are 1,246 COVID-19 patients in intensive care, the Health Department said.
Mount Nittany Medical Center treated 51 COVID-19 patients Friday, ranging in age from 27 to 96, a spokesperson said.
There have been 128 COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital in December, with an average of 43 patients per day. The health care system treated 143 patients in November and 58 patients in October.
Chief Medical Officer Nirmal Joshi acknowledged in a written statement that due to the consistent high number of inpatients, further reductions of services may be needed.
The health system announced Tuesday another step in its surge planning measures, with about half of elective surgeries that require overnight stays rescheduled through Jan. 11.
“We ask that everyone continue to be vigilant by consistently following COVID safety measures, including wearing a mask, frequent hand washing and maintaining social distance,” Joshi wrote. “These measures are especially important during the holidays as we continue to see a rise in COVID cases and subsequent hospitalizations.”
The state lists 12 patients in the intensive care unit — an increase of eight since Thursday — and two on ventilators.
The county coroner’s office has confirmed at least 89 deaths attributed to the coronavirus, ranging in age from 55 to 104. The state Health Department attributes 118 deaths to COVID-19, unchanged from Thursday.
The state announced 216 new deaths Friday, which brought the total to 13,608.
The breakdown of confirmed Centre County cases by ZIP code is as follows, according to the state Health Department:
- 16801 (State College): 3,304 (10 new cases)
- 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 1,229 (19 new cases)
- 16802 (University Park): 792
- 16803 (State College): 590 (8 new cases)
- 16686 (Tyrone): 567 (13 new cases)
- 16866 (Philipsburg): 419 (21 new cases)
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 199 (4 new cases)
- 16841 (Howard): 175 (3 new cases)
- 16875 (Spring Mills): 136 (1 new case)
- 16828 (Centre Hall): 130 (1 new case)
- 16845 (Karthaus): 112 (1 new case)
- 16827 (Boalsburg): 102 (3 new cases)
- 16822 (Beech Creek): 85 (1 new case)
- 16844 (Julian): 68 (1 new case)
- 16874 (Snow Shoe): 63
- 16853 (Milesburg): 61
- 16666 (Osceola Mills): 65 (6 new cases)
- 16877 (Warriors Mark): 57
- 16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 43 (1 new case)
- 16854 (Millheim): 37 (1 new case)
- 16829 (Clarence): 33
- 16826 (Blanchard): 33 (1 new case)
- 16851 (Lemont): 32
- 16872 (Rebersburg): 32
- 16820 (Aaronsburg): 30
- 16859 (Moshannon): 24
- 16856 (Mingoville): 19
- 16832 (Coburn): 15
- 16860 (Munson): 14
- 16868 (Pine Grove Mills): 11
- 16677 (Sandy Ridge): 10
- 16852 (Madisonburg): 9
- 16804 (State College): 7
- 16835 (Unionville): 6
- 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.
Penn State reported 57 new cases among students and nine new cases among employees from Dec. 11 through Thursday. Nearly 500 tests are pending.
There are 81 active cases among student and 15 active cases among employees. No students are in quarantine or isolation. The university shifted to remote instruction after Thanksgiving break.
There have been 545 cases among long-term care facility residents and 99 cases among employees. Seventeen nursing or personal care homes have reported a case.
About 59% of the state’s deaths have been reported in long-term care facilities.
This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 12:32 PM.