HARRISBURG, Pa. — Dealing with COVID-19, as well as flu season is something state health officials have been warning Pennsylvanians about. Especially now, as the state has 16 percent of ICU beds available, which has decreased from about 20 percent one week ago.
Saturday, the state recorded a record daily high of 12,884 new COVID-19 cases. More than 5,200 patients in the state are hospitalized by the virus. In Mifflin County, there are no more traditional ICU beds available. In Cumberland County, hospitalizations have more than doubled in the last week.
Health officials have continued to remind Pennsylvanians to wear masks, socially distance, wash their hands, and avoid gathering with people outside their household. State health officials have also encouraged Pennsylvanians to receive their flu shot, with concerns a bad flu season, on top of high COVID-19 cases could impact care.
The 2020-21 flu season began on Sept. 27th. Since that time, there have been 480 cases of influenza in 40 of the state's 67 counties. Twelve people have been hospitalized and one person has died from the virus. The PA Dept. of Health says, the percent of doctor visits associated with the flu have been low and is below the epidemic threshold.
The Dept. of Health is expected to give an update on COVID-19 and the flu in Pennsylvania this morning at 11:30.