15 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Luzerne County

WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Sunday reported 15 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Luzerne County and no new deaths.

The Luzerne County total cases are now at 3,017, and the death count remains at 181.

Neighboring Lackawanna County has 1,761 cases and 209 deaths; Monroe County has 1,471 cases and 111 deaths.

The Department of Health confirmed that there are 725 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 95,414. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

The number of new cases in Allegheny County increased by 200 cases overnight. Philadelphia County reported 148 new cases overnight.

The number of tests administered within the past 7 days between July 5 and July 11 was 137,084 with 5,314 positive test results.

The data section of the website is down for maintenance, so only new cases are being reported.

Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.

There are 635 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure, which are considered probable cases and not confirmed cases.

There are 829,018 patients who have tested negative to date.

Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

Nearly 1% are ages 0-4;

1% are ages 5-12;

Nearly 3% are ages 13-18;

8% are ages 19-24;

37% are ages 25-49;

Nearly 24% are ages 50-64; and

26% are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older.

The department is seeing significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases among younger age groups, particularly 19 to 24-year-olds. An alert was sent to healthcare providers over the weekend about the changing COVID-19 case demographics, as there are more cases in younger age groups than in those 50-64 and 65-plus.

The following regions have seen significant increases among 19 to 24-year-olds in each month from April to present in July:

SW – Just over 5 percent of cases in April to over 25 percent of cases so far in July;

SE – Nearly 5 percent of cases in April to over 16 percent of cases so far in July;

NE – Nearly 6 percent of cases in April to over 16 percent of cases so far in July;

NW – Nearly 7 percent of cases in April to over 12 percent of cases so far in July; and

NC – Nearly 8 percent of cases in April to nearly 13 percent of cases so far in July.

SC – Just over 7 percent of cases in April to nearly 13 percent of cases so far in July.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 18,258 resident cases of COVID-19, and 3,471 cases among employees, for a total of 21,729 cases at 748 distinct facilities in 57 counties.

Out of our total deaths, 4,706 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities.

Approximately 7,132 of our total cases are in health care workers.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Currently, all 67 counties are in the green phase of reopening.

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