State reports 8% increase in covid-19 cases in one day, 78 more deaths
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Seventy-eight new coronavirus-related deaths were reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health throughout the day Friday, bringing the state’s death toll to 494, according to state health officials.
The total coronavirus case count is 21,655, the data show.
It was the second consecutive day in which 78 new deaths were reported and the fourth this week where new deaths topped 70. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said that is not unexpected and likely includes individuals who have been sick and deteriorated over the past days and weeks.
“I think that we are seeing an increase in the number of deaths of these patients who have been ill for a while now and finally, tragically, have succumb to covid-19,” she said.
Pennsylvania’s new deaths included one reported in Allegheny County on Saturday morning.
The state reported 16 new cases and one new death in Westmoreland County, increasing the respective totals to 218 cases and six deaths.
Coroner Kenneth Bacha is critical of the state’s recording system, saying that it is behind the actual numbers and may not be counting all cases.
Bacha said Friday morning that the county has 11 deaths and state officials were behind on their count.
Butler County reported zero new deaths, keeping its total at three, and the county has seen 128 cases of the virus to date. Armstrong County is reporting 26 cases and its first death.
Somerset and Washington counties both reported no new cases, maintaining their respective totals at 10 and 66.
The 1,676 new cases reported Saturday brought the running statewide total to 21,655. That’s about a 8.3% increase over the previous day’s statewide case count.
The state saw nearly 2,000 new cases reported Thursday, the largest one-day increase since the first covid-19 case was confirmed in the state on March 6.
In Philadelphia, deaths surpassed 100, reaching 130 with now more than 6,022 cases of the virus. In Montgomery County, cases reached nearly 2,053 on Saturday and the death toll rose to 60. Bucks County stood at 1,051 cases and 29 deaths.