Allegheny County sets record for new covid cases for 2nd time in a week

Allegheny County set a record for new covid-19 cases Friday.

There were 1,322 new covid cases reported, breaking the previous record set Dec. 5 by 125 cases. This is the fourth time that new reported cases have eclipsed 1,000, all of which have come this month.

New patients range in age from 6 months to 95 years old, with a median age of 42. Dates of positive tests range from Nov. 25 to Thursday. According to the county Health Department, 11 positive tests are more than a week old.

The seven-day average of daily cases is 939 and the seven-day case total is 6,575. Both figures are records.

Total cases in the county are now 38,029. There have been 9,625 cases reported thus far in December.

The county reported 33 new coronavirus-related deaths Friday, the second highest number since the pandemic began. Of the deaths reported, one person was in their 30s, six in their 60s, six were in their 70s, 11 in their 80s, seven in the 90s, and two were more than 100 years old. Eighteen of the 33 deaths were associated with long-term care facilities. Dates of death range from Nov. 22 to Thursday.

Total deaths in the county now stand at 658.

As of Friday, there are currently 725 covid-19 patients hospitalized in Allegheny County,with 182 in the ICU and 104 on ventilators, according to state Department of Health data. Per the DOH, there are 78 adult ICU beds and 351 medical / surgical beds available in the county, which equate to 9.5% and 11% of total beds, respectively.