Credit: PA Internet News Service
Bucks County continued to see COVID-19 cases and deaths increase in the final week before holiday-time mitigation measures went into effect.
The county learned of 3,366 new COVID-19 cases last week, a 4.3 percent increase over the previous week, and 45 COVID-19 patient deaths, a 18.4 percent increase over the prior week.
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Among the deaths, there were four people in their 50s, five in their 60s, 19 in their 70s, nine in their 80s, and seven in their 90s. A total of 24 of the residents resided in long-term care facilities.
The Bucks County Health Department noted that not all the deaths took place last week. Some were from earlier in December and two were from late November.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health early warning dashboard, Bucks County’s COVID-19 test positivity rate increased to 17.7 percent, which is higher than 15.3 percent the previous week. The positivity rate is the highest in the among Philadelphia collar counties and higher than the statewide average of 16.2 percent. A rate higher than 5 percent is considered to be concerning.
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As of Monday, there were 84 Bucks Countians with COVID-19 in hospitals, 16 were in intensive care, and four were on ventilators, according to state data.
At the same time COVID-19 cases and deaths increase in Bucks County, Pennsylvania received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as part of national distribution. State health officials said Philadelphia will receive 13,650 doses and 87 hospitals in 66 other counties will share the 97,500 doses granted to the state.
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The doses should have arrived by next Monday, officials said.
Doylestown Hospital, Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol Township, and St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township are slated to receive an unannounced number doses with the initial rounds of distribution, state officials said.
Bucks County Health Department Director Dr. David Damsker said he expects all the county’s hospitals to receive doses at some point.
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The first phase of the state’s distribution plan puts the first doses of the vaccine in the arms of frontline health care workers and then staff and residents at long-term care facilities.
Since the pandemic started, Bucks County has seen 23,216 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 782 deaths.
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Ways residents can help reduce the spread of COVID-19:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Wear a mask properly when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
- Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
- Clean surfaces frequently.
- Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
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