Pa. Dept. of Health Reports 3,455 New COVID-19 Cases, 35 Additional Deaths Statewide

HARRISBURG, Pa. (EYT) – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 19, that there were 3,455 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 980,302.

New Statewide Positive Cases Last Seven Days

03/19/21 – 3,455
03/18/21 – 3,126
03/17/21 – 3,004
03/16/21 – 3,119
03/15/21 – 1,388
03/14/21 – 1,914
03/13/21 – 2,840

LOCAL REGION – New Cases Since Tuesday

There are 1,486 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 287 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients per day is about 4,600 lower than it was at the peak on December 25, 2020. However, the current 14-day average is now also below what it was at the height of the spring peak on May 3, 2020.

Statewide percent positivity for the week of March 5 – March 11 stood at 5.7%.

The most accurate daily data is available on the website, with archived data also available.

As of 11:59 p.m., Thursday, March 18, there were 35 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 24,741 deaths attributed to COVID-19. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Pennsylvania hospitals began receiving shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine the week of Dec. 14 and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine the week of Dec. 21. Please note that this does include vaccine administration through the CVS as part of the Federal Pharmacy Partnership. Vaccination numbers for Pennsylvania does not include Philadelphia, which is its own jurisdiction, or federal facilities, which are working directly with the federal government.

Vaccine highlights

• Vaccine providers have administered 4,043,398 total vaccine doses as of Friday, March 19 – 2,699,008 first/single doses and 1,344,373 second doses.
• 1,428,867 people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 309,869 over last week’s total; with a seven-day moving average of more than 83,000 people per day receiving vaccinations.
• 1,270,141 people are partially vaccinated, meaning they have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.
• Combining those fully vaccinated and those who have received one dose only to date means 2,699,008 have received at least one dose of vaccination.
• 24.1% of Pennsylvanians have received at least one dose of vaccine.
• More than 1.4 million people aged 65 and older having received at least one vaccine.
• This week, a total of 4,699,560 doses will have been allocated through March 20:
• 278,670 first/single doses will have been allocated this week.
• 242,270 second doses will have been allocated this week.
• To date, of the 4,699,560 doses allocated through March 20, we have administered 4,043,398 doses total through March 18:
• First doses/Single doses, 100 percent (2,699,008 of 2,705,155)
• Second doses (as applicable*): 67 percent (1,344,373 of 1,994,405)

Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

There are 119,761 individuals who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 639 individuals who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.

There are 4,036,426 individuals who have tested negative to date.

In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there are 68,798 resident cases of COVID-19, and 13,994 cases among employees, for a total of 82,792 at 1,562 distinct facilities in all 67 counties. Out of total deaths reported to PA-NEDSS, 12,827 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Note that the number of deaths reported to NEDSS is not exactly the same as the COVID-19 related deaths reported by the death registry. The number of deaths among nursing and personal care home residents and employees is taken from the PA-NEDSS death data, as this information is not available in the death registry data.

Approximately 25,976 of the total cases are among health care workers.

While vaccine supply from the federal government remains limited, the Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient.

• The Your Turn tool provides a way to register to be alerted when it’s your turn to be vaccinated.
• A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.
• Vaccine provider map to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
• All of the locations that received vaccine and how much they have received can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution webpage.
• Vaccine dashboard data can also be found on the website to find more information on the doses administered and showcase demographic information.
• Pennsylvanians can provide feedback on the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan by clicking on the Plan Feedback Form square under Popular Vaccine Topics here.
• Frequently asked questions can be found here.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.