The number of COVID-19 cases in Bucks County continues to rise after weeks of leveling out.
The Bucks County Department of Health reported 147 cases submitted to them between Friday and Monday night. The daily average of new cases has been about 37.
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Last week, the county saw about 28 new cases per day. In weeks prior, the numbers baselined in the low to mid 20s.
Among the 147 new cases reported, 43 were of cases so delayed that they were no longer considered infectious, the county health department said.
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Looking at the 147 cases reported, 49 were the result of household contacts, 27 were from out-of-state infections, 20 were through community spread, eight were residents or staff at long-term care facilities, six were health care workers, four caught the virus at non-health care workplaces, two were jail inmates, and 31 were unable to be immediately reached by contact tracers.
Over the past few days, an 80-year-old man with underlying health issues died. He lived in a long-term care center. The man’s passing marks only the second COVID-19 death in the county this month.
While community spread in Bucks County is at about five new cases per day, out-of-state exposures and household spread through already-infected persons has driven up the numbers, the health department said.
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“We’ve had some additional cases from summer travel and Fourth of July parties,” said Dr. David Damsker, the county’s top public health official. “I think the combination of being in the ‘green’ phase and the nice summer weather lowers people’s guard down a bit. It is not unexpected to have a few more cases at this point.”
In a statement, health officials said the number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators was at two as of Monday. The number is the lowest number since March.
Over the past few days, the county passed 6,000 cases reported since the pandemic began. However, Damsker has long said that number is much higher because of limited testing early on and many people with relatively minor cases not getting tested.
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As of Monday night, 35 Bucks Countians with COVID-19 were in hospitals.
Since the pandemic began, 512 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in the county and 4,369 people have recovered.
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