Dec. 15 update: Pa. passes 500,000 COVID-19 cases, reports record number of new deaths
Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 case total passed the half-million mark Tuesday as the state reported 9,556 new positives.
There have now been 509,320 cases along with 3.07 million negative tests statewide.
The state also recorded the highest one-day total of deaths. With 270 new deaths reported Tuesday, there have now been 12,890 linked to COVID-19.
Monday’s death count was not initially updated by the state but has been corrected to show that the statewide total was 12,620. There were 55 new deaths reported Monday and 129 reported Sunday.
Locally, Centre County added 77 cases to bring the total to 7,814 (7,402 confirmed and 412 probable). There have been 50,317 negative tests.
County Coroner Scott Sayers on Tuesday evening confirmed 18 additional deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total to 89. All but four of these new deaths occurred at long-term care facilities, Sayers said in a press release. The other four took place at Mount Nittany Medical Center.
Ten of the long-term care facility deaths were in the 16823 (Bellefonte/Pleasant Gap) ZIP code. The deaths confirmed Tuesday occurred between Nov. 26 and Monday and ranged in age from 64 to 96.
The Department of Health reported four deaths in the county, which brings the total to 110.
Mount Nittany Medical Center is treating a record 53 COVID-19 patients — an increase of six from Monday’s update — between the ages of 19 and 95 as of Tuesday afternoon, a spokesperson said. The high number of admissions has led Mount Nittany Health to reschedule some elective surgeries and other procedures through January.
The state’s hospital dashboard, which also includes rehabilitation facilities, shows 53 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized in Centre County, with four in intensive care and on ventilators.
Hospitalizations continue to increase across the state. There are 6,026 people hospitalized with COVID-19, which is twice the peak in the spring, the Health Department said. Of that total, 1,249 patients are in intensive care. Last Tuesday, in comparison, 5,421 people were hospitalized with 1,115 in intensive care.
The breakdown of confirmed Centre County cases by ZIP code is as follows, according to the Health Department:
- 16801 (State College): 3,270 (8 new cases)
- 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 1,146 (19 new cases)
- 16802 (University Park): 790
- 16803 (State College): 562 (5 new cases)
- 16686 (Tyrone): 534 (43 new cases)
- 16866 (Philipsburg): 383 (20 new cases)
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 184 (11 new cases)
- 16841 (Howard): 157 (2 new cases)
- 16828 (Centre Hall): 122
- 16875 (Spring Mills): 119 (2 new cases)
- 16845 (Karthaus): 109 (1 new case)
- 16827 (Boalsburg): 96 (1 new case)
- 16822 (Beech Creek): 79 (1 new case)
- 16844 (Julian): 62 (2 new cases)
- 16874 (Snow Shoe): 61
- 16853 (Milesburg): 60 (1 new case)
- 16666 (Osceola Mills): 59 (2 new cases)
- 16877 (Warriors Mark): 55 (2 new cases)
- 16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 38
- 16854 (Millheim): 34 (1 new case)
- 16829 (Clarence): 33
- 16851 (Lemont): 32 (1 new case)
- 16826 (Blanchard): 31 (3 new cases)
- 16872 (Rebersburg): 31
- 16820 (Aaronsburg): 29 (1 new case)
- 16859 (Moshannon): 24
- 16832 (Coburn): 15
- 16856 (Mingoville): 15
- 16860 (Munson): 13
- 16868 (Pine Grove Mills): 11 (1 new case)
- 16677 (Sandy Ridge): 10
- 16852 (Madisonburg): 8
- 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.
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 12:19 PM.