Jefferson County Reports Nine New COVID-19 Cases

HARRISBURG, Pa. (EYT) – The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed that Jefferson County reported nine new COVID-19 cases as of 12:00 a.m., March 31.

The county’s total number of cases has reached 2,987, and the death toll remains at 91.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 31, there were 4,557 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,024,857.

New Statewide Positive Cases Last Seven Days

03/31/21 – 4,557
03/30/21 – 5,032
03/29/21 – 2,923
03/27/21 & 03/28/21 – 7,178
03/26/21 – 4,927
03/25/21 – 3,623

LOCAL REGION

There are 1,980 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 392 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients per day is about 4,400 lower than it was at the peak on December 25, 2020. The current 14-day average is also below what it was at the height of the spring peak on May 3, 2020. However, the moving average of number of hospitalized patients has started to increase.

Statewide percent positivity for the week of March 19 – March 25 stood at 7.6%.

The most accurate daily data is available on the website, with archived data also available.

As of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, there were 44 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 25,093 deaths attributed to COVID-19. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Pennsylvania hospitals began receiving shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine the week of Dec. 14 and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine the week of Dec. 21. The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine was first allocated to Pennsylvania the week of March 1, and the commonwealth is using it for a special initiative involving educators. Vaccination numbers for Pennsylvania do not include Philadelphia, which is its own jurisdiction, or federal facilities, which are working directly with the federal government.

Vaccine highlights

• According to the CDC, as of Wednesday morning, March 31, Pennsylvania has administered first doses of vaccine to 31% of its eligible population, putting it ahead of the national average.
• Vaccine providers have administered 5,154,718 total vaccine doses as of Wednesday, March 31.
• 1,830,605 people are fully vaccinated; with a seven-day moving average of more than 82,000 people per day receiving vaccinations.
• 1,614,879 people are partially vaccinated, meaning they have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.
• 3,445,484 people have received at least their first dose.

• This week, a total of 5,870,320 doses will have been allocated through April 3:
• 369,510 first/single doses will have been allocated this week.
• 265,670 second doses will have been allocated this week.

• To date, we have administered 5,154,718 doses total through March 31:
• First/single doses: 3,445,484 administered
• Second doses: 1,709,234 administered

Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home, even if fully vaccinated. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

There are 128,662 individuals who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 639 individuals who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.

There are 4,135,022 individuals who have tested negative to date.

In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there are 69,255 resident cases of COVID-19, and 14,251 cases among employees, for a total of 83,506 at 1,575 distinct facilities in all 67 counties. Out of total deaths reported to PA-NEDSS, 12,915 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Note that the number of deaths reported to NEDSS is not exactly the same as the COVID-19 related deaths reported by the death registry. The number of deaths among nursing and personal care home residents and employees is taken from the PA-NEDSS death data, as this information is not available in the death registry data.

Approximately 26,460 of the total cases are among health care workers.

While vaccine supply from the federal government remains limited, the Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient.

• The Your Turn tool provides a way to register to be alerted when it’s your turn to be vaccinated.
• A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.
• Vaccine provider map to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
• All of the locations that received vaccine and how much they have received can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution webpage.
• Vaccine dashboard data can also be found on the website to find more information on the doses administered and showcase demographic information.
• Pennsylvanians can provide feedback on the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan by clicking on the Plan Feedback Form square under Popular Vaccine Topics here.
• Frequently asked questions can be found here.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.