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The surge in covid-19 cases in Southwestern Pennsylvania is infecting a younger, less vulnerable demographic, and thus far the most recent cases appear to be less severe, doctors at UPMC said Thursday.

Donald Yealy, UPMC’s senior medical director and chairman of its emergency medicine department, said he has been impressed with how Allegheny County’s health department has made decisions using what he called a “precision public health approach” to target areas where the disease is likely to spread.

While the number of positive covid-19 cases have increased, the number of people who require hospitalization has not jumped at the same pace, the UPMC officials said.

As of Thursday, there were 118 people in UPMC hospitals throughout its system, Snyder said, and the average age of those patients was 60.

The health system remains prepared for any possible surge in people who need to be hospitalized, Yealy said.

“We need to keep this up,” Snyder said.

People also need to make sure they’re following the guidelines properly, the UPMC officials said.

Safety depends upon how people comply and enforce those procedures, he said.

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