Pennsylvania State Health officials are now pleading with residents to take precautions as the state now tops the country with the greatest number of COVID hospitalizations. They also say most of the increases have been noted in the central and western parts of the state. Over eight-thousand new cases of COVID-19 have been reported since Saturday– the latest reporting data available. One hundred forty-four deaths were reported on Friday, and 45 new deaths as of Saturday. There are now over 45-hundred people hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 940 patients are in intensive care. Authorities estimate that a little over 60 percent of the state’s population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.