With 427 new cases of coronavirus in the city announced on Monday afternoon, Philadelphia may have reached the peak of the epidemic, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said, though it’s still much too early to be certain.
Monday’s figure is down more than 100 cases from April 6, the previous Monday, which reported 539 new cases. The figure is lower than any weekday reports last week. Farley noted tomorrow’s number may be higher, as not all labs have reported their weekend numbers and there may be more in the backlog.
“For those staying home and social distancing, give yourselves credit,” Farley said on the city’s advisory.
Northeast Philadelphia ZIP codes account for 1,510 of the 6,813 total confirmed cases, or 22.16%. That’s up 0.6% since last Thursday, continuing the Northeast’s slow but steady increase in the overall number of coronavirus cases.
In two weeks, Northeast Philly has gone from accounting for 17.25% of the total cases to 22.16%. It’s important to note this does not necessarily mean the virus is particularly dense there. On average, 39.67 per every 10,000 residents tested positive for the virus in the Northeast.
That rate is highest in 19115 and 19116, which have 58 and 57 positive cases per 10,000 residents, respectively. There are six other ZIP codes in the city with an equal or higher rate.
There are 711 patients with the virus being treated in city hospitals, with 1,289 patients being treated in the region.
Farley also announced 14 new fatalities in the city, bringing the total to 190. Of that number, 125 were over the age of 70, and 93 of them were nursing home residents.
Even though the numbers appear to have slowed, Mayor Jim Kenney requested protective equipment and resources to expand the city’s rapid testing capacity. He also sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting direct and flexible funding to help the city rebound.
City and School District food sites will be open tomorrow after being closed today due to weather. They will resume their normal schedule on Thursday, April 16. Northeast Philly sites can be found here and School District sites can be found here.
