Pennsylvania reported more than 1,000 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday for the third time in less than a week and the sixth time this month as some regions of the state continue to see rising case numbers.
An additional 1,120 people tested positive for the virus, raising the statewide total to more than 109,000 since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the state Health Department.
Health officials reported 24 new deaths, raising the death toll to 7,146.
The Health Department has cited 14 counties with a “concerning” percentage of tests coming back positive. Those counties are scattered throughout the state and include Beaver, Armstrong, Franklin, Mercer, Allegheny, Lawrence, Chester, Philadelphia, Fayatte, York, Dauphin, Delaware, Bedford and Greene.
The Health Department said Philadelphia reported 175 new cases on Tuesday, while Allegheny had 119 and Delaware reported 118.
The number of infections is thought to be far higher than the state’s confirmed case count because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple of weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are at higher risk of more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
