Coronavirus Pennsylvania: COVID-19 Cases Statewide Surpass 55,000 As Death Toll Rises To 3,688; Philadelphia Cases Nearing 18,000
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania has surpassed 55,000. The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced an additional 1,078 cases on Saturday, bringing the statewide total to 55,316.
Another 72 people have died to due complications with COVID-19, bringing the statewide death toll to 3,688.
"As we prepare to move a number of counties from red to yellow, we need all Pennsylvanians to continue to follow the social distancing and mitigation efforts in place," Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said. "We must continue to protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, which includes our seniors, those with underlying health issues, our healthcare workers and our first responders. I am proud of the work that Pennsylvanians have done so far, but we cannot stop now, we must continue to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from COVID-19."
Most of the patients hospitalized are aged 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older.
In Philadelphia, city health officials reported 364 new cases of Coronavirus on Saturday, as well as 16 additional deaths.
The total number of COVID-19 cases citywide now totals 17,881 and 891 deaths.
As of Saturday, over 221,000 Pennsylvanias have tested negative for coronavirus.
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On Friday Gov. Tom Wolf announced 13 more western counties, comprising nearly 2.7 million residents and much of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, can shed the most restrictive pandemic orders on movement and businesses next week, joining much of northern Pennsylvania that began emerging Friday.
The counties announced Friday by Wolf are Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland. They will move to the yellow phase of reopening on Friday, May 15.
"The reopening plan prioritizes the health and welfare of Pennsylvanians by using a combination of factors to gauge how much movement a location can tolerate before the 2019 novel coronavirus becomes a threat," Gov. Wolf said. "I'd like to emphasize that this plan is not a one-way route. We are closely monitoring the 24 counties in the yellow phase and will re-impose restrictions if danger arises."
The only western county held back, Beaver County, is home to perhaps the state's worst nursing home outbreak, where dozens have died and a congressman is calling for an investigation.
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