Pennsylvania adds nearly 15,000 new coronavirus cases over the weekend

Gov. Wolf fears hospitals will become overwhelmed as coronavirus cases continue to surge

Wolf called the overwhelming of hospitals and healthcare systems 'dangerous' as it poses threats to everyone who needs medical care. 

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania added several thousand new coronavirus cases over the weekend after announcing a staggering new record of daily infections on Saturday.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., December 7, that there were 6,330 new cases, in addition to 8,630 new cases reported Sunday, December 6 for a two-day total of 14,960 additional positive cases of COVID-19.

That brings the statewide total to 426,444 as the state announced there were 5,300 people hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, more than 1,100 are in intensive care.

The state says most of those hospitalized are over the age of 65.

The two-day total announced Monday surpassed a single-day total announced by the state on Saturday of more than 12,800 new cases. 69 new deaths were reported Saturday and another 42 were reported on Sunday.

The trend in the 14-day moving average of number of hospitalized patients per day has increased by nearly 4,000 since the end of September, health officials said Monday.

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They added that statewide percent positivity last week stood at 14.4% and 66 of the state's 67 counties are considered as having 'substantial' transmission. Cameron County is the only county with a low transmission status.

On Monday, Gov. Tom Wolf reminded residents that he and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine had warned that substantial community spread was already occurring in most counties. In addition, they warned that "if Pennsylvanians did not act immediately to change our behavior, things would get dramatically worse in the coming weeks."

Wolf says that's why they put additional restrictions and mitigation measures into place at that time.

"Over the course of the past two weeks, unfortunately, Pennsylvania's situation has become even more dire. I find myself here saying things I really wish I didn't have to say," Wolf stated Monday. "If we don't slow the spread of this dangerous virus now, the reality is that COVID-19 will overwhelm our hospitals, it will overwhelm our healthcare systems."

Wolf called the overwhelming of hospitals and healthcare systems 'dangerous' as it poses threats to everyone who needs medical care.

“This week’s data, and the continued strain COVID-19 is placing on the rate of hospitalizations and ventilator use is a reminder to us all of our role in protecting our health care systems,” Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Models continue to indicate very concerning trends for our hospital availability and ICU bed availability, even as we see some counties with very little capacity left. We know COVID-19 does not discriminate and is affecting every county in the Commonwealth. It is affecting all Pennsylvanians, no matter your race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status or whether you live a rural, suburban or urban area.”

So far, the state has reported 11,373 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

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