by PublicSource Reporters
The Allegheny County Department of Health [ACHD] reported 246 new COVID-19 infections Wednesday, bringing the total case count since March 14 to 5,610 cases.
ACHD also reported five additional COVID-related fatalities and one new hospitalization. To date, there have been 204 deaths and 478 past and present hospitalizations.
While the COVID-related fatalities range from 23 to 103 years old with the median age being 84, the most recent deaths are those aged between 77 and 91, county health officials said.
Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen told the county Board of Health Wednesday that her department is carefully watching the development of COVID-19 cases in younger and younger populations.
“We have cases down to 1 month of age,” Bogen told the board at their monthly meeting. “Those children are not being hospitalized and are not very ill from my understanding, but the fact is they are testing positive. Early in the pandemic we didn’t have children testing positive.”
She said the department is consulting with schools on their options — reopening, continuing to educate online, or a mix of both — but isn’t dictating any given solution.
Bogen, who has adjusted restrictions on restaurants and bars as case counts have surged by more than 200 on some days, said that typically it takes weeks to a month to see case counts respond to new rules.
Asked by a board member whether the county can bring the new case counts back down, Bogen said: “I hope we’re not staying at 200 [per day] for a month, because I may need to triple my staff.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Health [DOH] reported 994 infections and 26 fatalities Wednesday, bringing the statewide tally to 97,665 and 6,957 deaths.
The 246 cases Allegheny announced Wednesday eclipsed the 135 infections Philadelphia County reported.
READ ENTIRE ARTICLE AT:
Allegheny County reports 246 new COVID-19 cases, five deaths
About Post Author
