March 26 update: Pa. adds almost 5,000 COVID-19 cases, highest daily total in 2 months
Pennsylvania on Friday added almost 5,000 COVID-19 cases, the highest one-day total in two months.
The statewide total grew by 4,927 to reach 1,005,167 cases. Friday’s daily total is the state’s highest since 5,191 cases were reported Jan. 30. There have been 4.1 million negative tests and 91% of people have recovered statewide.
In Centre County, daily cases remained in the high double digits, with 89 new positives reported. There have been 14,225 cases (12,989 confirmed and 1,236 probable) along with 64,444 negative tests.
Mount Nittany Medical Center is treating 22 COVID-19 patients between the ages of 18 and 88, a spokesperson said Friday. That’s one fewer patient than Thursday’s update. The hospital has seen a daily average of 17 COVID-19 inpatients this month.
Cases and hospitalizations have risen locally, said Tiffany Cabibbo, executive vice president of patient care services/chief nursing officer, in Mount Nittany Health’s weekly update COVID Friday.
“We are seeing our highest number of COVID-19 patients in six weeks, and is a trend that has us highly concerned,” Cabibbo said.
Cabibbo reminded community members not “to become complacent” and continue COVID-19 safety measures such as masking, hand washing and social distancing, even as the vaccine continues to be rolled out across the state.
“It will take many months to vaccinate everyone, so as a community, we can’t let down our guard,” she said. “COVID-19 is a serious virus, with an unpredictable course and should be treated as such.”
Across the state, 113,595 additional vaccinations were given to bring the total to 4.73 million (excluding Philadelphia and federal facilities). There have been 3.07 million partial vaccinations and 1.66 million full vaccinations administered.
Centre County residents have received 65,828 vaccinations, an increase of 1,638. There have been 40,475 partial vaccinations and 25,353 vaccinations given. Mount Nittany Health has administered more than 27,000 doses, officials said Friday.
There have been 24,953 deaths statewide, an increase of 36. The Department of Health counts 213 Centre County deaths.
The average of hospitalizations across Pennsylvania is about 4,500 below the December peak but has been increasing in recent days. The total number of patients Friday was the highest since March 1.
The breakdown of confirmed Centre County cases by ZIP code, and the change from the previous days (if any), is as follows, according to the Health Department:
- 16801 (State College): 4,966 (+22)
- 16823 (Bellefonte/Pleasant Gap): 2,330 (+8)
- 16803 (State College): 1,245 (+7)
- 16802 (University Park): 1,094 (+18)
- 16686 (Tyrone): 951 (+3)
- 16866 (Philipsburg): 781 (+4)
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 434 (+1)
- 16841 (Howard): 351
- 16845 (Karthaus): 261
- 16828 (Centre Hall): 256 (+2)
- 16827 (Boalsburg): 255 (+4)
- 16875 (Spring Mills): 243
- 16822 (Beech Creek): 185 (+3)
- 16844 (Julian): 180 (+2)
- 16666 (Osceola Mills): 165 (+2)
- 16853 (Milesburg): 121
- 16877 (Warriors Mark): 103
- 16874 (Snow Shoe): 96 (+1)
- 16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 78
- 16826 (Blanchard): 67
- 16829 (Clarence): 63 (+1)
- 16872 (Rebersburg): 61 (+1)
- 16854 (Millheim): 60
- 16851 (Lemont): 55
- 16820 (Aaronsburg): 48
- 16859 (Moshannon): 42
- 16856 (Mingoville): 28
- 16868 (Pine Grove Mills): 26
- 16677 (Sandy Ridge): 25
- 16832 (Coburn): 25
- 16860 (Munson): 22
- 16852 (Madisonburg): 17
- 16864 (Orviston): 13
- 16835 (Unionville): 11
- 16804 (State College): 10
- 16882 (Woodward): 8
- 16805 (State College): 1-4
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 March 26, 2021 at 12:11 PM.