COVID-19 In PA: Kid Cases Up Sharply; Overall Deaths, Cases Down

Pittsburgh PA

20 October, 2021

10:59 AM

Description

PENNSYLVANIA — The number of COVID-19 cases among school-age children has risen dramatically in Pennsylvania although the overall number of cases and deaths is down significantly, indicating the pandemic's latest surge could be waning. The number of coronavirus cases in children between 5-18 years old is more than 9 times greater than in 2020, according to the state Department of Health, there were 7,046 cases between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5, up from 778 during same period in 2020. Overall, more than 48,000 children in that age group have been infected since Aug. 21. Preschool children also are contracting the virus, with 995 cases reported in infants through age 4 from Oct. 6-12. Statewide, 8,084 cases in that demographic have occurred since Aug. 21. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,296 coronavirus deaths occurred in Pennsylvania in September for a weekly average of 324. Thus far in October, 435 people have died from the virus for a weekly average of 145. In Pennsylvania, the 7-day moving average of daily new cases was 4,442 as of Tuesday, down from the 4,678 moving average reported on Oct. 12. That mirrors a national trend in the declining 7-day moving average of new cases, which dropped from 96,666 to 84,555. Overall, 1.2 million cases of cases have been confirmed in Pennsylvania since the outbreak began in March 2020, while an additional 260,000 probable cases have been reported. The death toll currently stands at 30,721. All of the state's 67 counties remain in the CDC's high transmission category. Transmission levels are determined either by new cases per 100,000 residents in the last seven days or the percentage of coronavirus tests that come back positive; the higher category determines the transmission level. According to the CDC, as of Tuesday 70.8 percent of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated. The state ranks 5th nationwide for the total number of vaccination doses administered. Be the first to know what's happening in your community and region. With a free Patch subscription, you'll always be up to date on local and state news: https://patch.com/subscribe.