The reporting lag for statewide COVID-19 statistics may have finally struck.

Since the pandemic began, the state Department of Health's reporting has shown spikes to its total deaths and cases on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

On Thursday, the department reported another 275 deaths to the statewide total of 4,218 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

It was not immediately clear why Thursday saw such an increase in deaths and cases, but in the past Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine has attributed these heightened counts to either a lag in reporting or the consolidation of data from various sources, including coroners, hospitals and independently collected data, such as from Philadelphia.

While the state saw larger figures in the death toll, Butler County's own death toll remained the same at six, despite a report from BHS over the weekend that one patient died at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Levine will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Thursday.

The following numbers about the coronavirus pandemic are compiled daily from the Pennsylvania Department of Health's website and regular releases from Butler Health System.

Thursday's COVID-19 statistics:

Confirmed cases: 199Negative tests: 2,914Deaths: 7

New cases: 938Total cases: 59,636New deaths: 275Total deaths: 4,218Negative tests: 251,559

Allegheny: 1,551 confirmed cases; 21,086 negative test results; and 139 deathsArmstrong: 56 confirmed; 944 negative; and 5 deathsBeaver: 512 confirmed; 2,581 negative; and 82 deathsClarion: 24 confirmed; 570 negative; and 2 deathsLawrence: 71 confirmed; 950 negative; and 7 deathsMercer: 81 confirmed; 1,009 negative; and 2 deathsVenango: 7 confirmed and 338 negativeWestmoreland: 422 confirmed; 6,533 negative; and 32 deaths* The total number of cases includes confirmed and probable cases.* The total deaths and new deaths include only confirmed deaths, which is a person who tested positive for the virus before their death.