Contact: Barry Buckingham
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PHC4 Releases New COVID-19 Hospitalization Data and Mortality Findings

Harrisburg, PA - August 4, 2022 - PHC4 has released COVID-19 hospitalization data for the twenty-one-month period March 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021. During those months, there were 174,780 COVID-19 hospitalizations in Pennsylvania hospitals. The number of monthly COVID-19 hospitalizations was highest in December 2020 at 24,506 cases. The in-hospital mortality rate was highest in April 2020 at 19.2%. There were peaks in admissions in the following months: April 2020 (8,391), December 2020 (24,506), April 2021 (10,641) and December 2021 (17,739). There were peaks in the mortality rate in April 2020 (19.2%), August 2020 (10.4%), Jan 2021 (13.8%), Jun 2021 (10.6%) and October 2021 (14.9%).

Most recently, during the months October 2021 through December 2021, there were 30.2 COVID-19 hospitalizations per 10,000 residents, 10.9% of the patients required mechanical ventilation, and 14.6% of patients died in the hospital. The average length of stay was 8.2 days.

In looking at the effects of age on the rate of COVID-19 hospitalization during this three-month period, older residents, especially age 55 and older had higher rates. In examining differences by race and ethnicity, the highest hospitalization rates were found among White, non-Hispanic patients.

For in-hospital mortality rates, older patients, especially age 65 and older, had higher rates compared to their younger counterparts. White, non-Hispanic patients had higher rates compared to other race/ethnicity groups.

“Results from today’s release continue to provide important information about COVID-19,” said Barry Buckingham, PHC4’s Executive Director. “PHC4’s hospitalization data will help detail the effects on hospital admissions and mortality as we look at future quarters of data,” added Buckingham.

Findings from today’s release are available on PHC4’s website at www.phc4.org.

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PHC4 is an independent state agency charged with collecting, analyzing and reporting information that can be used to improve the quality and restrain the cost of health care in Pennsylvania.