Bucks County’s weekly COVID-19 case count continues to ebb and flow, increasing last week by about three cases per day over the previous week. Hospitalizations and deaths remained consistently low.
Transmission of the coronavirus from one member of a household to others continued to be the largest single source of new infections, accounting for 41 percent of the 241 cases recorded last week. Community spread accounted for about 17 percent. The daily case average was about 34. Fifteen of last week’s cases were delayed reports no longer considered to be infectious, reported the Bucks County Health Department.
One Bucks County resident died last week as a result of COVID-19 – a 64-year-old man with underlying health conditions. By Saturday, nine residents were hospitalized, two of them in critical condition and on ventilators.
Statewide, there was a seven-day case increase of 5,519 as of Thursday, Sept. 17. The previous seven-day increase was 4,993, indicating a 526-case increase across the state over the past week. The statewide percent-positivity went down to 3.8 percent from 4.2 percent the previous week.
“Our percent-positivity decreased significantly this week, showing that we continue to offer COVID-19 testing across the state to everyone who needs it,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “At the same time, the incidence rate increased, showing that the virus continues to affect Pennsylvanians. We must continue our focus on taking actions to protect ourselves and others, such as wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, washing our hands and avoiding large gatherings. Together, Pennsylvanians can be united to work to prevent the spread of the virus.”
The Department of Health updated its travel recommendations to add Nebraska and Wisconsin and remove Nevada from the list of states recommended for domestic travelers returning from to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania.
