Face masks hang from the rearview mirror of a vehicle Friday, May 1, 2020, in Fairview Township, Pa., during the coronavirus pandemic.
Christopher Millette / Erie Times-News via AP
Your daily coronavirus update: Pa. distributes more doses of COVID-19 treatment to hospitals
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Christopher Millette / Erie Times-News via AP
Face masks hang from the rearview mirror of a vehicle Friday, May 1, 2020, in Fairview Township, Pa., during the coronavirus pandemic.
With our coronavirus coverage, our goal is to equip you with the information you need. Rather than chase every update, we’ll try to keep things in context and focus on helping you make decisions. See all of our stories here.
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» Coronavirus facts & FAQ
» Day-by-day look at coronavirus disease cases in Pa.
» What the governor’s stay-at-home order means
More than 9,000 doses of the experimental drug remdesivir are being distributed to hospitals across Pennsylvania to treat COVID-19 infections.
On Friday, the state Department of Health distributed 1,548 doses of the drug to 21 hospitals; that followed an initial distribution of 1,200 doses on Tuesday.
Another 6,390 doses are scheduled for distribution on Monday. The hospitals that receive the drug were selected by the number and severity of the conditions of their COVID-19 patients.
Health Secretary Rachel Levine said the safety and effectiveness of remdesivir are not entirely known. “However, it was shown in a clinical trial to shorten the recovery time in some people, which is why the Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of the medication for treatment,” she said.
State reports fewer than 1,000 new positive cases
The state health department reported 989 new positive COVID-19 test results Saturday, bringing Pennsylvania’s total to 61,611.
Sixty-one reported deaths brought the state’s total to 4,403, according to health department numbers.
Positive test results have increased at roughly the same rate — 1.6 percent — day over day for the past three days.
The average number of new cases per day has decreased from April, when the average was 1,364 new positives reported per day. That number is 990 so far in May.
WHYY’s Peter Crimmins contributed to this report.
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