135 more coronavirus cases for Berks County; state records second-highest day

Oct. 28--Berks County added 135 coronavirus cases Wednesday in state Department of Health reporting as the fall surge gathered a little more momentum.

The total was up four from Tuesday, and the seven-day average ballooned to 108, according to Reading Eagle record keeping. The average helps smooth the uneven reporting of test results.

Berks was third behind Philadelphia and Allegheny counties in the number of new cases Wednesday, where 272 and 199 were recorded, respectively.

What was down Wednesday was the number of test results. The 135 cases came from a total of 626 tests, down from about 700 on Tuesday.

The number of cases and tests rose significantly a few days after the AMI Expeditionary Healthcare mass testing site opened at First Energy Stadium on Oct. 13. The site produced about 4,000 tests before ending Oct. 24.

Berks remains in the department's "substantial spread" category. Before the FirstEnergy location, there were about 450 to 500 daily test results for Berks. That went up to 750 to 800 as the AMI test results started to roll in.

AMI has opened a site in Lebanon County at the state's request. That county is also seeing significant community spread.

Health department spokesman Nate Wardle agreed Wednesday that the mass testing sites are popular.

He said this in an email:

"We believe that the mass testing sites are an excellent option for testing for those who are symptomatic, or feel they need tested. These sites are often located in areas that people know of. The department, in working with local and county partners, has the opportunity to inform the communities in a county of these sites, which may make them more recognizable than other test sites in counties.

"Some other items that may make these sites more practical is that there is no reservation or appointment required. There is no cost to the testing. The sites test individuals ages 3 and older. Not all test sites are testing individuals that age."

Statewide, another 2,228 cases were recorded, pushing the eight-month outbreak total over 200,000 to 200,674.

It was the second-highest daily total to Tuesday's 2,751. A composite weekend report on Oct. 4 had 2,251.

"The resurgence is certainly here," Wardle said.

The seven-day average for the state climbed to 2,054, dwarfing the spring's peak of 1,663. With the report Wednesday, October statewide passed 40,000 cases, eclipsing the April total in the red phase of nearly 40,000, with a few days to go.

Like Berks, overall the number of test reports was on the decline statewide with 33,329, down from nearly 35,000 Tuesday and off the peak of 48,000 earlier this month. Several days were over 40,000 earlier.

The state added 22 deaths Wednesday, including a Berks resident for an outbreak total of 422.

The county coroner's office added one death within Berks for an outbreak total of 414. It was a 91-year-old man, a county resident.

Hospitals and colleges

Reading Hospital had 57 patients with COVID-19 on Wednesday, with six in intensive care and four on ventilators. The number of patients has roughly doubled since the beginning of October.

Penn State Health St. Joseph hospital had 11 patients with nine in ICU or on ventilators.

Of the 26 deaths in October in Berks, all but five have occurred in one of the two Berks hospitals, according to the county coroner's office. The 26 deaths are now third behind April and May but well behind those months.

Kutztown University was listing all outbreak cases -- 341 students and four employees -- as recovered.

Alvernia University has added two active cases for a total of four but doesn't list an outbreak total. The cases reflect all of the school's campuses: Reading, Philadelphia and Schuylkill.

The other colleges were unchanged from Tuesday.

Long-term care facilities

Residents of nursing homes took the brunt of the spring peak in cases and deaths in Berks, with outbreaks hitting ManorCare facilities hard in Sinking Spring and West Reading. Berks Heim and other sites also saw many cases and deaths.

The state and the companies running the homes believe they are better prepared now as community spread threatens residents.

Julie Beckert of ManorCare HCR in Toledo, Ohio, said via email that systematic testing is ongoing, new admissions are quarantined for 14 days, and face masks and eye protection are worn among precautions.

"The sooner we are aware of a positive case, the faster we can act (this was not an option in the spring)," she wrote. "With community spread and opening centers to visitation, we need to remain vigilant, but there is always the potential for the virus to get into any setting.

"Our Sinking Spring and West Reading centers have minimal cases currently, but we continue to do testing and have tests pending every week."

2020-21 flu season

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention flu tracker map shows Pennsylvania and most of the nation on the lowest rung of the "minimal" category.

Officials have feared a dual pandemic.

The weekly summary from the state health department:

-- Flu activity is low across the commonwealth.

-- Influenza A and B are identified by laboratory testing

-- A total of 313 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases have been reported season to date. Confirmed reports were received from 17 counties out of the 67 counties.

-- Percent of outpatient visits associated with influenza-like illness has been low and is still below the state epidemic threshold.

-- A total of three influenza associated hospitalizations and no deaths have been reported in the state during the current flu season.

The state has not yet broken down the cases by county, saying it will do that if cases reach an unspecified threshold.

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