PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - As coronavirus cases begin to rise in Allegheny County and the Southwestern PA area, especially among younger people, Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen is reminding people COVID-19 is not the same as the flu or common cold.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Dr. Bogen said while 40 percent of people who get COVID-19, will have minor to no symptoms, that isn't the case for everyone.
"The death rate from COVID-19 is much, much, much higher than from influenza," said Dr. Bogen. "In Pennsylvania last year about 100 people died from influenza, while more than 6,000 residents of Pennsylvania have died in just three and a half months from COVID-19."
Those that are most at risk of dying are those older people and those with a compromised immune system.
Bogen adds she expects to see hospitalizations rise within the next week as those cases usually lag about a week behind announced coronavirus cases.
UPMC's Dr. Donald Yealy said during a news conference on Wednesday that an increase of cases could actually help the area because most of the people being infected are younger and are likely to recover.
That means in his opinion that increases the community's level of immunity.
Bogen says herd immunity is important but for that to work a community needs to have 60 percent or higher who are immune through either having the infection already or have had a vaccination and that only an estimated 3 percent of Allegheny's population has been exposed to coronavirus.
Bogen adds while younger people are more likely to recover or show no symptoms, "the more people who get it, the more you get the rare outcome of a bad outcome."
While cases are increasing around Pittsburgh, several other states are setting new records for daily cases.
"More than 100,000 people in the U.S. from COVID-19 and that is more than all of those who died serving our country in Vietnam and Korea combined," said Dr. Bogen.
Locally, five additionally deaths were reported in Allegheny County on Monday. The ages of the victims range in age from 71 to 96 and all were residents of long-term care facilities.
Bogen says the deaths occurred between June 14 and June 22.
While cases are on the upswing, Bogen adds that hospitals are better prepared to handle a potential surge.
Bogen adds that contact tracing is being done with each case.
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