Confirmed new COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania stayed below 10,000 in the week leading up to Thanksgiving.
That’s according to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services, which reported 9,878 new confirmed cases for the week of November 16-22.
Health officials expect holiday travel, gatherings and new sub-variants will lead to a spike in cases after Thanksgiving, a trend that has been apparent over the past two years.
Cases and deaths in the US have increased slightly in recent weeks, according to the CDC.
COVID-19 Community Levels
According to the CDC’s latest update, one Pennsylvania county is at a high level of the COVID-19 community for Thanksgiving.
This metric — which accounts for new cases, new hospital admissions, and the percentage of COVID-occupied, occupied hospital beds — is updated weekly on Thursdays with new data from state and local agencies, usually through Wednesday.
Mercer County remains at a high community level as of the week before. In counties classified as high, the CDC recommends masking in indoor public places.
This recommendation also applies to those at higher risk in counties rated as medium.
Pennsylvania has 23 mid-size counties including Clinton, Union, Snyder, Mifflin and Huntingdon as of Thursday. Center County remains low.
COVID-19 in Pennsylvania
The CDC, which reports new cases through Wednesday, says the state added 9,787 confirmations of COVID infections in the seven days ended Nov. 23.
During this period, the CDC also reported 194 COVID-19 deaths in the state, with a weekly death rate of 1.5 per 100,000 people.
Positivity ranges from 8% to 9.9% on November 22nd.
Keystone state has recorded more than 3.35 million confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 48,271 deaths since the pandemic began in early 2020.
Statewide, 1,129 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, including 144 in intensive care units and 44 on ventilators.
COVID-19 in Center County
Center County, at the lower community level, reported 105 new confirmed cases Wednesday and a 7.7% positivity rate, according to the CDC. That’s only slightly more than the previous week, even though the number of tests reportedly being carried out has fallen.
The county’s immunization rate for the primary series — excluding booster shots — remains at about 63%.
To find a vaccination center near you and get your free COVID-19 shot or booster visit visitvaccines.gov.