HARRISBURG (TNS) — New COVID-19 infections have been averaging fewer than 5,550 per day in Pennsylvania, down from days of well over 25,000 a few weeks ago.
The number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 has fallen by 26% since the end of January, the state health department said Tuesday in a weekly update.
As of early Tuesday, Pennsylvania hospitals were caring for 3,341 people with COVID-19, including 558 in intensive care and 358 on breathing ventilators. Hospitals were caring for about 7,500 COVID-19 patients a few weeks ago.
Meanwhile, nearly 76% of Pennsylvanians 18 or older are vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Weekly COVID-19 trends in Pennsylvania are continuing to move in the right direction,” Acting Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter said in a news release. “Continuing this trend requires a combination of simple prevention measures, personal responsibility and prompt action. Get vaccinated and boosted; wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status; get tested and stay home when you don’t feel well; and seek appropriate treatment when you’re sick.”
COVID-19 vaccinations were down 25% from the previous week, the health department said. During the past week, 122,642 vaccine doses were given, including 50,215 booster doses and 16,067 doses to children. The numbers cover all Pennsylvania counties except Philadelphia, which has a separate vaccination program.
Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 death toll stood at 41,781 as of Tuesday.