The Daily Item
New COVID-19 infections in the state and the four Valley counties increased for the third consecutive week, according to data released Wednesday by the state Department of Health.
State Health officials registered 13,936 new cases in the last week, more than 3,200 higher than last week’s report. Locally, there were 237 cases, up 66 from last week’s report.
There were 140 new deaths linked to COVID-19 statewide, the 17th consecutive week with more than 100. Two Valley residents, one each in Northumberland and Snyder counties died from the coronavirus.
Montour County registered 20 new cases, double last week’s total of 10. Northumberland County logged 126 infections, the first time in four weeks with more than 100 cases.
Snyder County had 45 cases, up 13 from last week. Union County registered 45 new cases, its highest in four weeks.
According to data being tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Johns Hopkins University, the number of new cases nationally decreased by 7 percent over the last two weeks, while COVID-related deaths dropped by 41 percent. Hospitalizations were up 7 percent over the same time period.
HospitalizationsAs of noon Wednesday, there were 1,264 hospitalizations statewide, down four and the fourth time in five weeks with a decline. There were 154 patients statewide being treated in the ICU — down eight — and 56 on ventilators, up four.
There were 55 COVID patients in Valley hospitals, up one from last week’s total. This week’s total includes 36 at Geisinger in Danville, six at Geisinger Shamokin and 13 at Evangelical Community Hospital.
Geisinger Medical Center had five COVID patients in the ICU and two on a ventilator. Geisinger Shamokin had three patients in the ICU and one a ventilator. No Evangelical patients were in the ICU or on ventilators, according to the state report.
State facilities, prisons
Both federal prisons are back to Level 1 COVID restrictions, the least restrictive of the Department of Corrections’ three levels. USP-Lewisburg was at Level 2 last week. There are 25 new active inmate cases at the low-security unit in Allenwood this week. There are no cases at Lewisburg.
Nationwide, five facilities were at Level 3, the highest level of restrictions, 28 were at Level 2 and 53 were at Level 1. Institution operational levels (Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3) are based on the facilities’ COVID-19 medical isolation rate, combined percentage of staff and inmate completed vaccinations series and their respective county transmission rates.
At the State Correctional Institution in Coal Township, there is one active staff case, according to the state Department of Corrections. There are no inmate cases. There were 31 active inmate cases and 29 active staff cases in state prisons statewide.
There was at least one active case among those receiving services at the Selinsgrove Center, along with five staff cases. The state Department of Human Services does not release full data unless five or more people are positive.
There was at least one staff case at Danville State Hospital and five client cases for the second consecutive week.
