Butler County saw eight deaths and more than 300 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, according to the state.

In addition, Butler Health System said it has received final emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the Pfizer vaccine.

Butler Memorial Hospital and Clarion Hospital expect to receive an initial delivery of 975 doses each “very soon,” according to BHS.

The two hospitals are among 87 in the state that are expected to receive a combined total of 111,150 doses for health care workers identified in the state's vaccine distribution plan by Dec. 21.

BHS physician leadership is reviewing all available data and literature regarding the safety of the vaccine.

The vaccine is not mandatory, but BHS is recommending that staff members receive it. The process for distribution to employees and providers is being finalized.

According to the state distribution plan, the first phase calls for health care workers, first responders, critical workers and people with high-risk conditions such as asthma and weakened immune systems to be the first people to receive the vaccine.

The first phase is divided into two groups. Group 1A is health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities. Group 1B is law enforcement personnel, fire and rescue personnel and critical manufacturing, emergency service, energy, food, agriculture, public transportation, prison and shelter, water and wastewater service employees. That group also includes education employees and child and adult day care workers.

In its Monday COVID-19 report, BHS said three deaths occurred at Butler Memorial Hospital on Saturday and single deaths occurred on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Clarion Hospital.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported the number of deaths in the county increased to 125 on Sunday. Statewide, 55 new deaths occurred Saturday and 129 occurred Sunday for a total of 12,620. Data from Monday was not available.

The number of COVID-19 patients at both hospitals declined slightly since Friday, but the number of positive tests conducted at both facilities increased slightly.

Confirmed cases in the county increased by 311 since Friday to 4,652 on Monday.

Statewide, a total of 18,646 additional positive cases on Sunday and Monday raised the total to 499,764.

There are 5,970 people hospitalized, including 1,227 patients in intensive-care units. The trend in the 14-day moving average of number of hospitalized patients per day has increased by about 4,900 since the end of September. The statewide percent positivity for last week was 16.2%.