COVID-19 cases continue to rise across city, state

Posted 3/31/20

COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the city and state according to health officials at daily press briefings today. Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said the city has confirmed …

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COVID-19 cases continue to rise across city, state

Posted

COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the city and state according to health officials at daily press briefings today.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said the city has confirmed an additional 242 presumptive confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the city's total number of case 1315. That's an increase from the 182 Farley said the city had confirmed oat its Monday briefing.

Of the total positive, confirmed cases, Farley said, 87 have been hospitalized and 88 are health care workers

Farley also said that the city had experienced five additional deaths, bringing the number of Philadelphia deaths to 14.

Asked about whether or not he could tell if social distancing had impacted the number of cases in the city, Farley said that he was counting the city's state stay-at-home order two weeks ago as "day zero," and that it was too early to tell whether the measure has been successful.

At an earlier conference, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced 756 additional positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total to 4,843. The state also reported 14 new deaths, bringing the statewide total to 63.

County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

“The continued rise in cases combined with our increasing deaths from COVID-19 reflects the seriousness of this situation,” Levine said. “We need everyone to listen to the orders in place and to stay calm, stay home and stay safe. We know that these prolonged mitigation effects have been difficult for everyone, but it is essential that everyone follows these orders and does not go out unless they absolutely must.”

The state also released an age breakdown of those who have tested positive. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

  • Less than 1% are aged 0-4;
  • Less than 1% are aged 5-12;
  • 1% are aged 13-18;
  • Nearly 10% are aged 19-24;
  • Nearly 41% are aged 25-49;
  • Nearly 29% are aged 50-64; and
  • Nearly 19% are aged 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are aged 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. There have been no pediatric deaths to date. More data is available here.

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