Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Over the last month, Bucks County has seen COVID-19 case numbers increase by 104 percent, while hospitalizations and deaths have not seen major jumps.
One month ago, the county health department reported 228 cases over a week-long period. For last week, the county reported 465 new infections, an average of 66 cases per a day and a 22 percent increase over the previous week.
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The number is the largest week-long case count since the first week of May.
The uptick in COVID-19 cases is being seen across the state and nation. Pennsylvania health officials have noted a troubling spike in cases over the past few weeks.
On Monday, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine told reporters daily case counts across the state are matching those of the early days of the pandemic.
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“Even though our cases have doubled over the past two weeks, the overall numbers of seriously ill people have remained pretty much the same. That’s an excellent sign,” Bucks County Health Department Director Dr. David Damsker said in a statement. “Another promising indicator is that, despite seeing some cases in teachers and students, reopened schools themselves are not contributing to levels of community spread.”
Bucks County reported 12 residents in the hospital due to COVID-19 and two in in critical condition on ventilators as of Saturday.
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Since the spring, medical treatments for COVID-19 treatments have improved, but hospitalization numbers often lag behind new case reports.
Among the 465 cases reported, 200 were from household spread and social gatherings with friends and family, 104 were due to community spread, 37 got sick at workplaces, 28 fell ill from out-of-state travel, 18 were healthcare workers, 15 were residents or staff at long-term care facilities, and 63 were unable to complete full contact tracing, according to the health department.
Easy and effective ways to slow the spread of COVID-19 are wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing, washing hands, and avoiding large gatherings.
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Since the pandemic began, Bucks County has been 9,807 residents test positive for coronavirus, 536 have died, and 8,620 have recovered.
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