All PA Counties Still In 'High' COVID Transmission, CDC Says

PENNSYLVANIA — The number of COVID-19 cases among school-age children has risen dramatically in Pennsylvania although the overall number of cases and deaths is down significantly, indicating the pandemic's latest surge could be waning. However, all of the state's 67 counties remain in the high-transmission category, according the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Transmission levels are determined either by new cases per 100,000 residents in the last seven days or the percentage of coronavirus tests that come back positive; the higher category determines the transmission level.

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According to the CDC, 1,296 coronavirus deaths occurred in Pennsylvania in September for a weekly average of 324. Thus far in October, 435 people have died from the virus for a weekly average of 145.

In Pennsylvania, the seven-day moving average of daily new cases was 4,442 as of Tuesday, down from the 4,678 moving average reported on Oct. 12. That mirrors a national trend in the declining seven-day moving average of new cases, which dropped from 96,666 to 84,555.

Overall, 1.2 million cases of cases have been confirmed in Pennsylvania since the outbreak began in March 2020, while an additional 260,000 probable cases have been reported. The death toll currently stands at 30,721.

The number of coronavirus cases in children ages 5-18 is more than nine times greater than in 2020, according to the state Department of Health. There were 7,046 cases between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5, up from 778 during same period in 2020. Overall, more than 48,000 children in that age group have been infected since Aug. 21.

Preschool children also are contracting the virus, with 995 cases reported in infants through age 4 from Oct. 6-12. Statewide, 8,084 cases in that demographic have occurred since Aug. 21.

As of Tuesday, 70.8 percent of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. The state ranks fifth nationwide for the total number of vaccination doses administered.

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