The number of COVID-19 cases reported in Pennsylvania increased by more than 10,000 Friday, according to the state Department of Health, the biggest one-day increase in coronavirus cases Pennsylvania has seen since Jan. 8.
The spike follows an increase of 9,143 cases Thursday, and is part of a surge that can be seen in many counties across the state.
Hospitalizations are on the rise too, with nearly 4,000 people in Pennsylvania hospitalized for the coronavirus.
In Centre County, the Mount Nittany Medical Center reported having 59 COVID inpatients on Friday — a number not seen since January. That includes 10 patients in the intensive care unit and eight on ventilators.
In Blair County, cases increased by 145, according to Friday's report, after going up nearly 130 two days in a row.
A surge in patients was one of the reasons the Penn Highlands Tyrone Emergency Department in Blair County was temporarily diverting patients on Wednesday and Thursday nights. A spokesman said the emergency department was over capacity “due to multiple reasons, including the number of COVID-19 patients.”
The spokesman said the Penn Highlands Tyrone Emergency Department “will always accept and care for patients at any time even when on divert.”
In Clearfield County, cases were up by 95 Thursday. Centre County’s cases increased by 112 on Wednesday and 141 Friday, bringing the total number to 23,138.
Also Friday, Penn State announced that its indoor masking requirements will continue in the spring semester, which begins in January 2022. In its news release, the university points to the Omicron variant and the expectation that cases will continue to increase this winter.
