Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania officials say, although there has been an uptick in breakthrough COVID-19 cases for those who are vaccinated, the large majority of covid cases that end up in the hospital or in death are in those people who are not vaccinated for COVID-19 or not fully vaccinated.
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Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed that as of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, there were 6,024 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide cumulative total cases to 1,660,087.
The department posted its monthly update on COVID-19 post-vaccination cases, commonly known as “breakthrough.” Between Jan. 1, 2021 and Nov. 2, 2021, data shows the overwhelming majority of cases, hospitalizations and deaths were among unvaccinated, or not fully vaccinated, people:
- 88 percent of reported COVID-19 cases were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people.
- 90 percent of reported hospitalizations with COVID-19 as the primary diagnosis/cause of admission were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people.
- 89 percent of COVID-19-related deaths were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people.
The data shows that the COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective for preventing hospitalizations and deaths, even as more post-vaccination cases occur in the context of more transmissible variants and more residents getting vaccinated.
Tracking events of COVID-19 that occur after vaccination is important for monitoring public health. If the incidence or severity of post-vaccination cases increases, this could be a signal of reduced protection against a variant.
Post-vaccination data and additional information is now posted online at: PA Post-Vaccination Data.
There are 2,848 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 631 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. More data is available here.
The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients continues to decrease. The full 14-day moving average since the start of the pandemic can be found here.
Statewide percent positivity for the week of Nov. 5 – Nov. 11 stood at 10.3%.
As of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, there were 150 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 32,633 deaths attributed to COVID-19. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
For the 2021-2022 school year, the Department of Health is providing weekly updated case counts for two age groups: 0-4 capturing child care and early learning age children and 5-18 capturing kindergarten through high school age children. Case counts will be updated on Thursday afternoon for the previous week and cumulative since Aug. 16, 2021, by county of residence. The case counts presented are total case counts in these age groups and are not necessarily cases exposed in school, early learning or child care settings. The location of exposure cannot be determined but may have occurred in a variety of settings including the community, household/family, or the school setting.
The latest data is available in the “Updated Case and Death Information” section on the website.
Vaccine highlights
Federal data representing all 67 counties:
- According to the CDC, as of Tuesday, Nov. 16, Pennsylvania ranks 5th among all 50 states for total doses administered.
- According to the CDC, as of Tuesday, Nov. 16, 73.3% of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated.
Statewide data representing the 66 counties within the Department of Health’s vaccine jurisdiction:
- Pennsylvania’s vaccine dashboard was updated Oct. 27 to more accurately reflect the number of people who are partially and fully vaccinated and account for the additional doses administered to residents in each county outside of Philadelphia. Demographic data associated with the vaccinations was also updated. The updates are part of the department’s continuous work to improve the quality of data and statistical reporting to ensure the public has the most accurate and up-to-date information. For state-to-state comparisons, refer to the CDC vaccine data tracker.Opens In A New Window
- Vaccine providers have administered 14,749,373 total vaccine doses, including 1,204,631 additional doses (which includes additional shots for immunocompromised individuals and booster shots).
- 86,293 total pediatric vaccines doses (ages 5-11) have been administered.
- 6,552,020 people are fully vaccinated; with 59,692 vaccinations administered since yesterday and a seven-day moving average of more than 49,400 people per day receiving vaccinations.
The department continues to urge Pennsylvanians to follow CDC guidance for wearing a mask where required by law, rule and regulations, including healthcare, local business and workplace guidance. For the protection of themselves and others, individuals who have not yet been vaccinated or are partially vaccinated are still encouraged to wear a mask when in public. CDC also recommends all individuals wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
There are 270,124 individuals who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases.
There are 5,829,320 individuals who have tested negative to date.
In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there have been a total of 67,100 resident cases of COVID-19 to date, and 48,555 cases among employees, for a total of 115,655 at 1,664 distinct facilities in all 67 counties. Out of total deaths reported to PA-NEDSS, 14,945 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here. Note that the number of deaths reported to NEDSS is not exactly the same as the COVID-19 related deaths reported by the death registry. The number of deaths among nursing and personal care home residents and employees is taken from the PA-NEDSS death data, as this information is not available in the death registry data.
Approximately 32,930 of total cases have been among health care workers.
The Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient to all Pennsylvanians:
- All Pennsylvanians age 5 and older are eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine. Use Vaccine Finder to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
- A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.
- Vaccine dashboard data can also be found on the website to find more information on the doses administered and showcase demographic information.
- The Unite Against COVID Weekly Update is a round-up of news you can use and answers to your most pressing vaccine questions – delivered directly to your inbox every week.
- Frequently asked questions can be found here.
