The Herald's Weekly Virus Update

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has confirmed that as of 12 a.m., Aug. 25, there are 561 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 130,035 All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

The number of tests administered within the last seven days between Aug. 18 and Aug. 24 is 157,763, with 4,630 positive cases. There were 20,852 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., Aug. 24. These results represent the total number of tests administered.

There are 7,605 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 26 new deaths reported. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the state's COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

County counts

Blair: 396 confirmed cases; 9 total deaths, 7.3 deaths per 100,000 population (rate)

Bedford: 144 confirmed cases; 5 deaths, 10.4 rate

Cambria: 400 confirmed cases; 3 deaths, 2.3 rate

Centre: 381 confirmed cases; 11 deaths, 6.8 rate

Clearfield: 168 confirmed cases; 1 death, 1.3 rate

Fulton: 32 confirmed cases; 2 deaths, 13.8 rate

Huntingdon: 340 confirmed cases; 5 deaths, 11.1 rate

Somerset: 140 confirmed cases; 3 deaths, 4.1 rate

United States

5.722 million cases confirmed; 174,374 deaths

Worldwide

23.68 million cases; 811,000 deaths

"The mitigation efforts in place now are essential as the new school year approaches and we work to ensure our children can get back to learning," Pa. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. "Wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and following the requirements set forth in the orders for bars and restaurants, gatherings and telework will help keep our case counts low. Together, as Pennsylvanians, we each have a part to play in working to ensure that cases of COVID-19 remain low."

Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

There are 645 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure, which are considered probable cases and not confirmed cases. There are 1,445,170 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

1 percent are ages 0-4;

Nearly 2 percent are ages 5-12;

Nearly 4 percent are ages 13-18;

Nearly 10 percent are ages 19-24;

Nearly 38 percent are ages 25-49;

Nearly 23 percent are ages 50-64; and

Nearly 24 percent are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older.

However, the department is seeing significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases among younger age groups, particularly 19 to 24-year-olds. An alert was sent to healthcare providers about the changing COVID-19 case demographics, as there are more cases in younger age groups than in those 50-64 and 65-plus.

Regional increases

The following regions saw significant increases among 19 to 24-year-olds in each month from April to present in August:

SE – Nearly 5 percent of cases in April to nearly 18 percent of cases so far in August;

NE – 6 percent of cases in April to nearly 18 percent of cases so far in August;

SW – Approximately 5 percent of cases in April to nearly 12 percent of cases so far in August;

SC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 12 percent of cases so far in August;

NC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 12 percent of cases so far in August.

NW – Nearly 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 10 percent of cases so far in August; and

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 20,798 resident cases of COVID-19, and 4,411 cases among employees, for a total of 25,209 at 922 distinct facilities in 61 counties. Out of our total deaths, 5,131 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. Approximately 9,392 of our total cases are amongst health care workers. A county breakdown can be found at the Pa. Department of Health's website.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit "Responding to COVID-19" on pa.gov.

Currently, all 67 counties are in the green phase of reopening.

What you can do

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wear a mask. If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.

• Clean surfaces frequently.

• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.

Statewide – The Wolf Administration has since noon, Aug 24, taken the following actions:

• Provided Pennsylvania State Police enforcement data.

• Called on legislature to act immediately on COVID-10 relief and government reform.

• Shared update on COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring dashboard.