Pennsylvania adds 758 new covid-19 cases

Pennsylvania added 758 new covid-19 cases Friday, according to the state Department of Health.

The new coronavirus cases, which bring the state’s total to 117,279, show a trend where new reported cases have ranged between 700 and 850 each day the past four days.

The state reported 15 new deaths Friday, bringing the death total to 7,297.

According to the state’s covid-19 dashboard, 651 covid-19 patients are currently hospitalized, with 99 of them on ventilators.

Comparing the first weeks of July and August showed a marked difference in cases and deaths.

In the first seven days of July, the average for newly reported cases was 670 per day, compared to 747 for the same span in August. From July 1- 7, there were 138 new deaths reported, whereas there were 108 new deaths reported from Aug. 1- 7.

During a news conference Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf talked about delays in turnaround for covid-19 testing in Pennsylvania, which are attributed to “national labs becoming overwhelmed by the need for testing in states that are experience a major outbreak.”

Because the state’s positivity rate and case counts have been relatively stable, Wolf said the state isn’t a top priority for the national labs, which he said have been directed by the federal government to prioritize tests from states facing outbreaks, like Florida and Texas.