COVID cases up again in Pennsylvania. These 6 counties are at CDC’s high community level

Jackie Starkey
·3 min read
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Following the first big spell of holiday travel, COVID-19 cases are up across Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increased the number of counties at a high community level from one to six.

According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the state had 13,703 new reported cases of COVID-19 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 6, a figure that does not include cases detected through at-home testing kits.

It’s an increase of more than 3,200 cases over the previous reporting week and at least the second straight week of rising case counts.

New cases and deaths are rising across the U.S. The CDC reports nearly 459,000 new cases this week across the country, along with a daily average of more than 4,800 COVID hospital admissions.

Other types of respiratory viruses are also surging this winter. The annual flu season has come early and is contributing to a rise in hospitalizations.

COVID-19 community levels in Pennsylvania

Last week, just one Pennsylvania county, Mercer, was rated at a high COVID-19 community level, a weekly metric released by the CDC.

As of Dec. 8, Fulton, Franklin, Sullivan, Bradford and Susquehanna counties join Mercer at high.

The community levels are updated Thursdays based on data from states, including new reported cases and hospital admissions per 100,000 individuals (seven-day totals) and the percent of staffed hospital beds occupied by COVID-positive patients (a seven-day average).

In counties rated at high, the CDC recommends wearing a mask in public, indoor spaces. Those at risk for more severe illness should consider masking and other precautions in counties rated medium.

Twenty Pennsylvania counties are rated medium as of Thursday, leaving 41 at low — including Centre County.

This map of Pennsylvania from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows COVID-19 community levels by county as of Dec. 9, 2022. The orange counties are at high, the yellow at medium and the green at low.
This map of Pennsylvania from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows COVID-19 community levels by county as of Dec. 9, 2022. The orange counties are at high, the yellow at medium and the green at low.

The CDC, with data varying slightly from the state, reports 13,936 new cases in the past week, along with 140 new deaths. The state’s health department has recorded the COVID-19 deaths of 48,527 individuals since the onset of the pandemic.

COVID-19 in Centre County

Centre County, which remains at a low community level, had 172 new confirmed cases over the CDC’s latest reporting week. The case rate per 100,000 residents sits just below 106.

The positivity rate has increased slightly in the last week to 10.58%.

A free testing site, including access to take-home tests, is available in State College at 60 Decibel Road, Suite 107, provided by state health officials.

COVID-19 vaccines in Pennsylvania

Children 6 months to 4 years of age can now get the updated, bivalent booster shot after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized it for use in that age group this week.

Only 13.5% of Americans have received their updated booster as of Friday, according the CDC.

As of Sept. 2, more than 1.6 million bivalent boosters had been administered in Pennsylvania, the state reports. For Centre County, that figure is just shy of 25,000.

To find a vaccine near you, visit vaccines.gov.