The deaths of 38 Bucks County COVID-19 patients were reported last week by the Pennsylvania Department of Health – the most in one week in the county since late May.
A total of 83 Bucks County deaths were attributed to COVID in November. That made last month the third-deadliest of the pandemic, after April (280 deaths) and May (253 deaths).
While post-Thanksgiving deaths rose considerably, new COVID cases continued to shatter records. The state reported 3,227 new infections in Bucks from Nov. 29-Dec. 5, an average of 461 per day. It was the first time the weekly case total exceeded 3,000 and daily cases averaged more than 400 per day.
Last week’s death total included 23 men and 15 women ranging in age from 28 to 95. Eight were in their 90s, 11 in their 80s, eight in their 70s, six in their 60s, four in their 50s and one in her 20s. Nineteen resided in long-term care facilities. As of Saturday, 78 county residents were hospitalized with COVID-19, eight of them on ventilators.
Twenty-seven percent of the adult ICU beds in Bucks County hospitals remain available, along with 34 percent of all medical-surgical beds and 72 percent of all ventilators.
Bucks County had a 15.3 percent test positivity rate for the week, once again exceeding the statewide rate of 14.4 percent. The state reports a total of 19,988 confirmed COVID cases in the county throughout the pandemic and 719 deaths.
Most non-judicial Bucks County offices remain open to the public on an appointment-only basis through Jan. 4. Public officials continue to urge the public to refrain from out-of-state travel and social gatherings and to wear masks indoors and when close to others outside.
Bucks County case investigators have focused attention on infections among older adults and school students, last week identifying 88 new cases among residents and staff of long-term care facilities. A total of 232 students and 31 school staff tested positive for COVID. Most of the infected students are taking all or some of their classes virtually, while 18 percent are confirmed to be full-time, in-class students.
Elsewhere throughout Pennsylvania, COVID infections continued to spread with no sign of slowing. The week ended with a record 12,884 new positive test results on Saturday – the third straight day of 11,000-plus increases. The statewide total of infections passed 400,000, while 11,262 Pennsylvanians have died and 1,065 were in intensive care units with COVID as of Saturday.
“If we don’t slow the spread of this dangerous virus now, the reality is that COVID-19 will overwhelm our hospitals and our healthcare workers,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “That’s dangerous for everyone who needs medical care in a hospital for any reason, because it stretches resources and staff to the breaking point.
“This dangerous, disturbing scenario is not only possible, it becomes increasingly likely with every day that COVID continues to spread in Pennsylvania. It’s unimaginable and yet it is true. It is also unacceptable. We cannot allow our friends, neighbors and family members to be struck down because of this virus, especially when a widely-available vaccine is likely just months away.
“Right now, we all need to take a hard look at our choices and our actions and take every precaution to protect our neighbors, families and friends, our doctors and our nurses, and every healthcare worker.
“We can stop the spread of COVID-19 if we work together. So please, stay home unless you need to go out, do not attend gatherings with people outside your household, and if you need to leave your home, wear a mask. We can prevent that worst-case scenario from becoming reality, but that means that all of us need to take this virus seriously because the virus is in control and we need to take back control.”
