Pennsylvania posts 2nd highest new covid case count, 22 deaths

The Pennsylvania Department of Health posted 2,641 new cases of coronavirus Friday, its second highest tally in a single day.

The new cases include 2,416 new one-day positive cases and 225 cases from previous days that were reported Friday, according to the state.

With the latest batch, the state’s seven-day average of new cases jumps to 2,134 and its seven-day total of cases goes to 14,938 — both much higher than in the worst days of the first wave in April.

Of the new cases, 2,333 are confirmed, while 308 are probable.

Officials posted 22 new covid-related deaths on the state’s covid-tracking website Friday, making 642 deaths so far in October. While the state is seeing higher case numbers, the deaths are still nowhere close to the numbers posted in April and May, when 2,229 and 3,263 covid-related deaths, respectively, were seen.

To date, the state has seen 8,784 covid-related deaths.

Seemingly in response to criticism of its use of data in making decisions on the pandemic, the Department of Health posted a lengthy message on its covid tracking site on Friday.

“Throughout the pandemic, the Department of Health and the Governor Wolf administration has used data from a variety of sources to make decisions and respond to the covid-19 pandemic,” the statement reads. “We have worked to make all of these data sources and models publicly available.

“The administration’s decisions surrounding the managing of the covid-19 pandemic are data-driven, literature-based and follow established public health practices. We use statewide and national data as well as peer-reviewed literature, and guidance from the CDC and White House when making public health decisions. Decisions are based on science and facts.”

The statement explains the how the virus spread and contracted and provides guidelines on best practices to prevent infection.

The message ends with, “The Administration has used all available facts, data points and expert guidance in its decision to guide the response to covid-19, at all times seeking to protect lives and livelihoods.”

According to the state website, there are 1,253 Pennsylvanians currently hospitalized with covid, 131 of them on ventilators. State officials report there are 5,027 operational ventilators in Pennsylvania, with 1,114 (22.2%) in use for all illnesses.