Increased COVID Hospitalizations Prompt Warning To Philly Residents

PHILADELPHIA — Health officials in Philadelphia recently issued a warning to residents and visitors as the number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus increases in the city.

Officials last week said the state reports 142 patients being treated in Philadelphia for coronavirus.

That figure is nearly double that was reported three weeks ago, which was 79.

State data shows 16 of the 142 patients are in the ICU and 13 are on ventilators.

Officials from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Penn Medicine, Jefferson Health, and Temple Health are warning Philadelphians to take precautions due to the rising hospitalizations.

In addition to increased hospitalizations, the number of Philadelphians testing positive for COVID-19 is now as high as it was during the first week of February, and has more than doubled in the last three weeks.

Philadelphia is averaging 400 new cases of COVID-19 per day over the last two weeks.

In the last two weeks, 13 percent of COVID-19 tests in Philadelphia have come back positive.

Thus far during the pandemic, 289,971 Philadelphians have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and 5,041 have succumbed to the virus.

"The entire Philadelphia region is seeing COVID-19 cases rise dangerously,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole. "While we are not looking to reinstate a mask mandate at this time, now is the time for Philadelphians to remember that the pandemic is still here and take precautions. We strongly recommend that every Philadelphian and visitors wear a mask whenever they’re indoors in public. People should get tested for COVID-19 before they visit anyone who is older or has underlying health conditions. If you test positive, talk to your regular healthcare provider or visit a Test to Treat site for antiviral medications. And if you haven’t yet gotten your booster shot, this is the time."

Philadelphians and visitors are urged to wear masks when they are in indoor public spaces.

Philadelphia has seen the benefits of wearing a mask, keeping our case rates lower than surrounding areas throughout the fall of 2021, and as cases first started to rise in April, according to the health department.

Health officials encourage up-to-date vaccinations to prevent serious illness from the coronavirus. Being up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines means that children younger than 12 are fully vaccinated, teens and adults up to age 50 are fully vaccinated and have received a booster, and adults over 50 are fully vaccinated and have received two booster doses.

People who test positive for COVID-19 are also recommended to seek out antivirals as soon as they receive their test results. Some COVID-19 antiviral medications have been found to reduce hospitalizations or deaths by up to 88 percent in clinical trials, health officials said.

For people who do not have a regular healthcare provider or cannot make an appointment, the federal government’s Test to Treat program allows for people to visit certain health care providers to get tested and, if positive, walk out with antivirals.