State tops 1 million COVID-19 cases
The number of Pennsylvanians who have contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began last year has now exceeded 1 million.
With 3,623 new cases reported Thursday, the total number of cases in the state reached 1,000,240, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
In the county, 23 new cases increased the number of cases to 9,455 since the beginning of the pandemic.
No new deaths were reported in the county, but 41 deaths across the state brings the total to 24,917.
The number of people hospitalized statewide is 1,652, including 351 people in intensive care. The 14-day average number of people hospitalized is about 4,500 lower than it was at the peak in December 2020 and below what it was at the height of the spring peak in May 2020. However, the moving average of the number of hospitalized patients has started to increase again, according to the health department.
In licensed nursing and personal care homes, 69,021 residents and 14,160 employees have the coronavirus.
Of the total deaths in the state, 12,890 have been residents of nursing or personal care facilities.
A total of 4,614,946 doses of vaccine have been administered, including 2,990,279 partial vaccinations and 1,624,667 full vaccinations.
County vaccinations include 23,098 people partially vaccinated and 34,191 people fully vaccinated.
Also Thursday, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam today signed an amended order indicating that vaccine providers must work with local Area Agencies on Aging and Medical Assistance Managed Care Organizations to schedule vaccination appointments for adults eligible in Phase 1A of the state's vaccination plan.
The order also requires providers to have the ability to schedule appointments for individuals into the future. Under this order, a vaccine provider that informs a Phase 1A individual that no appointments are available may be subject to enforcement. The order also requires providers to continue to ensure that appointments can be scheduled both by phone and using online scheduling systems.
