COVID-19 Cases Decline In Bucks Co., But Hospitalizations Rise

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — The state health department recorded fewer cases of COVID-19 in Bucks County in the week leading up to Christmas.

That's according to the state's early warning monitoring system, which includes data on week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, percent-positivity rates and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19. This week's update compares the period of Dec. 18 - Dec. 25 to the previous seven days, Dec. 11 - Dec. 18.

Bucks County reported 2,205 confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the most recent week, down from the 2,798 cases reported the previous seven days. Average daily hospitalizations increased, however, from 149 to 172, as did the average number of daily patients on ventilators, from 18 to 31.

The county's percent-positivity rate went down to 15.1 percent from 16.4 percent the week prior. At the state level, the rate decreased to 15.1 percent from 15.8 percent, a sign that COVID-19 mitigation measures are working, Gov. Tom Wolf said.

“This is the second consecutive week that we see a decrease in percent positivity, providing us with data that our efforts to reduce and mitigate the spread are working,” Gov. Wolf said. “Although this is encouraging, we need to stay the course in our fight against COVID-19. We need Pennsylvanians to continue efforts to stay safe, stay home as much as possible, wear a mask when out of our homes, and avoid gatherings with those outside our households.”

All 67 Pennsylvania counties are in the substantial level of community transmission, and a concerning number of recent cases have been linked to travel, according to state officials.

The Department of Health requires anyone over the age of 11 who visits from another state to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in a travel quarantine for 10 days upon entering the state. The order does not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment, those who left the state for less than 24 hours and those complying with a court order, including child custody.

State officials are asking Pennsylvanians to avoid gatherings with people not in their households during the holidays.

“The decisions we make over the holiday season will continue to impact the effect of COVID-19 across the state,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We need to continue our efforts to practice social distancing, avoid gatherings, download the COVID Alert PA app, and answer the call when a public health professional is calling you. By using all the tools in our toolbox, we can unite to stop the spread of COVID-19 across the state and further protect our health care system.”

Since the pandemic began in mid-March, 838 Bucks County residents have died from COVID-19.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated incorrect percentages for increases in average daily hospitalizations and the average number of daily patients on ventilators.

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