Testing Delay Caused Tuesday's COVID-19 Spike In Allegheny County

Coronavirus

PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - The Pennsylvania Department of Health is clarifying Allegheny County’s COVID-19 report of 331 cases on Tuesday.

The department says that a delay in private lab results is responsible for 186 of the 331 cases, meaning Allegheny County had an increase of 145 cases in the past 24 hours.

Across PA, 929 additional coronavirus cases are being confirmed to bring the statewide total to 96,671.

216 of those cases across the commonwealth are a result of a delay in lab results.

The number of tests that have been given in the past seven days is 130,315 with 5,438 testing positive.

Additionally, 20 new deaths are being reported on Tuesday to bring the state’s total to 6,931 dead as a result of COVID-19.

Most people who have died or are currently hospitalized are aged 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+,” the department said in a release.

The age breakdown of those infected:

  • 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.

18,321 cases of coronavirus are being reported in nursing and personal care homes and 3,499 in employees for a total of 21,820 at 756 facilities in 57 counties.

4,712 of the total number of dead have occurred in nursing or personal care homes

About 7,224 cases are in healthcare workers.

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