Cambria hits triple digits for new COVID-19 cases, current surge more severe locally than spring spike

Randy Griffith, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·1 min read

Sep. 21—Cambria County's daily COVID-19 case report hit triple digits on Tuesday for only the second time since January.

The county's 102 additional positives and one death were among 4,939 cases and 68 COVID-19 deaths added statewide in Tuesday's Department of Health report.

It puts the state's seven-day rolling average at 4,774 cases a day — the highest average since the of the spring surge.

But the local area's reports show the current surge has been more severe here. Seven-day averages in Cambria, Somerset and Bedford counties have already surpassed the spring peak.

All three counties are showing average daily cases not seen since January, as the pandemic's deadly winter surge was easing.

Cambria has had an average of 74 cases a day over the past week. Its spring peak hit an average of 57 cases a day on April 24.

Somerset is averaging 50 cases a day. It averaged 25 cases a day at the spring peak.

Bedford is averaging 42 cases a day. It averaged 18 cases a day at the spring peak.

In a press release Monday, the health department said there are more than 11 times as many COVID-19 cases among school-aged children 5-18 years old this year when compared to last year. For September 8-14, 2021, there were 7,218, compared to 630 cases for the same period in 2020.

Meanwhile, combining Monday updates from the state and Philadelphia health departments shows vaccine providers have administered 14,597,004 doses and there are now 7,076,084 people who are fully vaccinated statewide.

There were 15,300 doses administered on Monday, adding 7,511 people to the fully-vaccinated status, the reports show.