Pennsylvania health officials on Thursday reported 860 additional cases of the coronavirus, and 14 new deaths.
Allegheny County reported an increase of 132 cases and Philadelphia reported 127 new cases.
More than 111,000 people in Pennsylvania have tested positive for the virus since the beginning of the pandemic, and 7,176 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19, most of them in nursing homes.
Daily case counts have risen nearly 70% since the beginning of July, driven primarily by increased spread in counties in the southern half of the state. The percentage of virus tests coming back positive has risen from a low of 3.3% in mid-June to over 6% now, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
The increasing infection rate prompted Gov. Tom Wolf to recently impose a new round of statewide pandemic restrictions on bars, restaurants and larger indoor gatherings.
Deaths have been trending downward.
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.
