Gov. Tom Wolf released a weekly status update detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard, comparing the seven-day period of July 24-30 to the previous seven days, July 17-23.
In Bucks County, though new cases are averaging 44 per day, hospitalizations remain low because younger people account for a larger share of new infections.
The dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the state’s mitigation efforts. The data available on the dashboard includes week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, test-percent-positivity, and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19.
“The mitigation efforts we took on July 15 were a proactive step to get in front of the rise of cases that we continue to see,” said Wolf. “Our percent positively decreased this week, which is a positive sign, but in order to continue to see numbers decrease, we must continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.
“Going out without a mask and congregating at a bar or in a crowded backyard party where social distancing isn’t being practiced continues to lead to spikes in cases. We need to recommit to these simple measures to stop the spread and go back to more freedoms.”
As of Thursday, July 30, the state has seen a seven-day increase of 6,228, the previous seven-day increase was 6,010, alerting that cases are continuing to rise throughout the state.
The statewide percent-positivity went down to 4.6 percent from 4.7 percent last week. Bucks County is not among those with concerning percent-positivity.
The Department of Health updated its travel recommendations, originally announced on July 2, to remove Wyoming to the list of states recommended for domestic travelers returning from to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania.
This recommendation is in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. A significant number of recent cases have been linked to travel. According to Wolf, if people are going to travel, he needs them to take steps to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community, and that involves quarantining.
