The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of midnight that there are 725 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 66,983.

There are 5,096 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 112 new deaths.

Carbon has 227 cases and 22 deaths. In Lehigh County there are 3,638 cases and 202 deaths. In Luzerne County there are 2,631 cases reported and 135 deaths.

Monroe County, which is moving to yellow phase next week, has 1,302 cases and 99 deaths. In Northampton County, 2,866 tested positive and there are 197 deaths. Schuylkill County, which is also moving into yellow phase next week, has 576 cases and 26 deaths.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 14,486 resident cases of COVID-19, and 2,437 cases among employees, for a total of 16,923 at 589 distinct facilities in 44 counties. Out of our total deaths, 3,349 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities

The Department of Health distributed the third shipment of the investigational antiviral medication, remdesivir, to treat patients in the hospital with COVID-19. Yesterday, 8,928 doses of medication were sent to 81 hospitals, including Lehigh Valley Hospital Pocono and Hazleton branches and St. Luke’s Monroe campus.

The medication was sent to the department by the federal government on Thursday, and shipped to these hospitals on Friday.

“The department is working to give our hospitals every opportunity to treat patients with COVID-19,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “It is important to note that there is limited information on the safety and effectiveness of using remdesivir to treat people in the hospital with COVID-19. 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.”

The Department of Health first distributed 1,200 doses of the medication to 51 hospitals across Pennsylvania on May 12, and a second round of 7,938 doses were sent to 79 hospitals on May 15 and May 18. The hospitals that have received these shipments were determined based on the number of COVID-19 patients at the hospital over a recent seven-day period, and the severity of the illness of those patients based on whether they are on a ventilator. The department will continue to work with our federal partners to acquire more doses of this medication to serve more patients across Pennsylvania.

Remdesivir is given to a patient through an IV once per day for up to 10 days, depending on how critically ill the patient is. According to the FDA, remdesivir may help decrease the amount of coronavirus in your body, which may help you get better faster.