HARRISBURG – The current COVID surge continues statewide and also at one local federal prison.
In its Wednesday update, the state Department of Health reported 9,838 new COVID cases, and nearly 20,000 new cases have been reported the last two days – with the total since the start of the pandemic at 1,913,959.
There were 259 new Valley cases the last two days, including 114 new Northumberland County cases (16,487 total since the start of the pandemic). There are 55 new cases in Snyder County (6,012 total); 59 in Union County (8,736 total); and 31 in Montour (3,150 total).
The Federal Bureau of Prisons also reported Wednesday there are now 61 active cases among inmates at USP Allenwood (the maximum security facility). There one staff member is infected and one person has died from the disease. The Allenwood medium security campus has six active inmates cases and the low security campus has two staff cases and one death.
The Department of Health also reported 365 new COVID deaths the last two days, for a total of 35,783 since the start of the pandemic. There are eight new deaths in the Valley, with seven of those in Northumberland County. They county has had 462 deaths since the start of the pandemic. There was also a new death in Union County, with 127 total deaths. Montour County remains with 81 total deaths, and Snyder County remains with 121 total deaths.
According to Wednesday’s update, statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations increased by 25 the last two days to 4,552, with 931 patients in ICU and 584 on ventilators.
There are some changes to local hospitalizations. Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg has a total of 55 – three more than listed Monday (43 are unvaccinated). 11 people are in an ICU (all are unvaccinated), and there seven patients on ventilators (all unvaccinated).
Geisinger Danville is treating one less COVID patient, with 130 total, including 37 in the ICU and 30 on ventilators. Geisinger Shamokin is treating nine more COVID patients with 31 total, with eight in ICU and none on ventilators.
Wednesday, the department said more than 16.5 million vaccine doses have been administered statewide since the start of the pandemic, including 2,159,011 booster doses. The CDC website says more than 7.4 million Pennsylvanians are fully vaccinated against the disease and 73.7% of adults (age 18 and over) are fully vaccinated.
In Valley vaccination rates; Montour County is still first in the state at 76.3%, Northumberland County is 56.2%, Union is 48.1%, and Snyder is 42%.
Among Valley universities, Bucknell is reporting 10 active cases on campus (6 students, 4 staff), with 133 total cases since the semester began. They note a 94.6% vaccination rate.
Susquehanna won’t be reporting new campus COVID updates until the spring semester begins January 4.
Bloomsburg University has three active campus cases for the winter semester, with eight total for the semester. The university had a total of 329 campus cases during fall semester.
