Pa. Health Dept.: Two-day total of more than 10.8K new COVID-19 cases; 2.6K hospitalized

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed 10,848 new cases of COVID-19 in the commonwealth during the two-day period between 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday and 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, bringing the statewide total to 1.61 million cases since the start of the pandemic.

As of midday Friday, 2,609 people were hospitalized, up from Wednesday’s most recent total of 2,588 people. Of those patients, 597 were in hospital intensive care units, up from Wednesday’s most recent total of 584 people. And 337 people were using a ventilator, down from Wednesday’s most recent tally of 354 patients, according to data posted to the agency’s pandemic tracking website.

The department also confirmed 91 new deaths attributed to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths attributed to the virus to 32,279 since the start of the pandemic, state data showed.

As of Friday, the statewide positivity rate was 9.3 percent, and 72.8 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 or older were fully vaccinated, according to the department.

All Pennsylvanians aged 5 and older are eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine. You can use this Vaccine Finder to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.