Nearly 2% of Allegheny County residents tested positive for COVID-19 last week, according to data released from the county health department.
However, the 23,459 new infections that occurred from Jan. 2-8 are just the ones the county knows about. Both testing shortages and increased use of at-home tests mean the percentage of infected residents is likely higher.
It is presumed that the majority of these cases are caused by the highly contagious omicron variant, based in part on the extreme surge in infections. The high numbers are not due to increased testing. More than one-third of recent PCR tests, which are the most accurate, have been positive.
The report also noted that 42% of the new cases were among unvaccinated individuals, meaning that the vaccinated make up the majority of new cases. However, 64% of residents are fully vaccinated, meaning unvaccinated people comprise an outsized portion of cases.
(A county spokesman said that for the purposes of this report, those who have only received their first doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are considered unvaccinated.)
The report also noted that 9% of last week’s cases were reinfections.
Though omicron is less likely to cause severe illness compared to previous coronavirus variants, it can still be fatal, as proven by the 47 Allegheny County residents who died from COVID-19 last week.
Hospitalizations are also on the rise. Pittsburgh’s children’s hospital has opened an additional intensive care unit for COVID-19 patients.
Though kids younger than age 5 aren’t eligible, the best way to protect an older child from severe COVID-19 is vaccination. As of last week, just 27% of Allegheny County kids between 5 and 9 years are fully vaccinated, another 8% have had one dose of Pfizer.
