The Lead

Pa. Health Dept.: More than 4,100 new COVID-19 cases; More than 2,800 hospitalized

By: John L. Micek - October 27, 2021 12:22 pm

After a second dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, a swarm of antibodies attacks the virus. (Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images)

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed 4,178 new cases of COVID-19 in the commonwealth on Wednesday, up from Tuesday’s tally of 3,742 new cases. That brings the total number of cases to more than 1.54 million since the start of the pandemic.

As of midday Wednesday, 2,838 individuals were hospitalized with the virus, an increase over Tuesday’s tally of 2,798 people. Of that number, 663 patients were in intensive care units, and 372 patients were using a ventilator, according to data posted to the agency’s pandemic tracking website.

The department also confirmed 142 new deaths attributed to COVID-19 as of midday Wednesday, bringing the total number of deaths attributed to the virus to 31,197 since the start of the pandemic, state data showed.

As of Wednesday, the statewide positivity rate was 9.2 percent, and 71.4 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 or older were fully vaccinated, according to the department.

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John L. Micek

A 3-decade veteran of the news business, John L. Micek is the Pennsylvania Capital-Star's Editor-in-Chief. An award-winning political reporter, Micek’s career has taken him from small town meetings and Chicago City Hall to Congress and the Pennsylvania Capitol. His weekly column on U.S. politics is syndicated to 800 newspapers nationwide by Cagle Syndicate. He also contributes commentary and analysis to broadcast outlets in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Micek’s first novel, “Ordinary Angels,” was released in 2019 by Sunbury Press.