August 24 COVID-19 State Data Update

According to the Department of Health, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported for the 7-day period Aug. 14 through Aug. 20 was 1,142 cases lower than the prior 7-day period (4,456 down from last week's 5,598.)

Only 19 of the state’s 67 counties reported a higher number of confirmed cases this week compared to last week. Thirteen of the 19 counties reported fewer than 10 more cases than the prior 7-day time frame.

The largest week-over-week drop in confirmed cases came in Philadelphia, whose 7-day total was 248 cases lower than the prior 7-day period. Ten counties experienced case total drops of 50 or more, and 22 counties reported week-over-week double-digit case total drops.

Fewer tests were reported during the most recent 7-day period compared the prior 7-day period (6,645 fewer tests administered), but 58 counties reported 7-day test positivity rates below five percent. Of the counties that have positivity rates of five percent or higher, three counties (York, Northumberland and Indiana counties) actually saw their 7-day case totals drop compared to the prior 7-day period, and five counties (Susquehanna, Perry, Beaver, Union and Huntingdon counties) saw small week-over-week growth (14 or fewer additional cases. Blair County, the last of the nine counties with a positivity rate of five percent or greater, reported having only 21 more cases week-over-week.

Statewide, the 7-day positivity rate was 3.4 percent, down from last week's four percent rate.  Also statewide, the 7-day average daily virus-related hospitalizations total dropped by 70 this past week compared to the prior 7-day period (516.6, down from 586.6 last week).

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed as of midnight August 24, that there were 426 newly reported positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 129,474.

The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between August 17 and August 23 is 157,052 with 4,588 positive cases. There were 14,973 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., August 23.

The statewide total death count attributed to COVID-19 is 7,579, with one new death reported. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

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 1,433,364 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

  • 1% are ages 0-4;
  • Nearly 2% are ages 5-12;
  • Nearly 4% are ages 13-18;
  • Nearly 10% are ages 19-24;
  • Nearly 38% are ages 25-49;
  • Nearly 23% are ages 50-64; and
  • Nearly 24% 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. More data is available here.

The department is seeing significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases among younger age groups, particularly 19 to 24-year-olds. 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 approximately 17 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;
  • NW – Nearly 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 10 percent of cases so far in August; and
  • NC – Approximately 7 percent of cases in April to approximately 9 percent of cases so far in August.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 20,730 resident cases of COVID-19, and 4,394 cases among employees, for a total of 25,124 at 919 distinct facilities in 61 counties. Out of our total deaths, 5,127 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 9,341 of our total cases are amongst health care workers.