by PublicSource Reporters
The Allegheny County Health Department [ACHD] reported 131 additional COVID infections Saturday, but no new COVID-related fatalities. The newly reported cases bring the total count since March 14 to 14,818 infections.
The case tally released Saturday came from 1,151 polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests, with positive results collected from Oct. 18 through Oct. 23. The new infections were among patients 10 to 97 years old, with a median age of 33. Roughly 75% were people younger than 50.
To date, the county has had 421 deaths and 1,388 people hospitalized because of the virus.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health [DOH] reported 2,043 additional infections and 29 fatalities Saturday, bringing the statewide tallies to 192,622 cases and 8,654 COVID-related deaths.
Of the roughly 2.2 million Pennsylvanians have tested negative, about 42% are 50 and older.
Each region of the state has seen a significant increase in cases among younger Pennsylvanians, specifically 19- to 24-year-olds. Southwestern Pennsylvania, which includes Pittsburgh, however, has seen one of the greatest spikes in this age group. In April, roughly 5% of cases in the region were among 19- to 24-year-olds. So far in October, the age group represented nearly 12% of new COVID infections. At one point in September, the age group represented approximately 28% of new COVID infections.
Election update
As of Oct. 23, voter registration in Pennsylvania reached 9,071,343 — a record high — secretary of state Kathy Boockvar said in a press conference on Friday. Statewide, 2,940,219 mail-in or absentee ballots have been approved, and approximately 50% of those ballots have been returned.
Boockvar emphasized that voters who have not yet returned mail-in or absentee ballots do so as soon as possible. “Once you get your ballot, do not wait in casting your ballot,” she said. “We are urging everyone to complete and return ballots by this weekend.”
Allegheny County reports 131 new COVID cases; voter registration at record levels
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