19 COVID Deaths In 3 Days In Bucks Co., 17% Of ICU Beds Open

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Bucks County reported 19 new deaths from COVID-19 in just three days this week as the county hit a grim milestone, surging past 20,000 cases of the virus since the pandemic began.

Of the 19 new coronavirus deaths recorded Sunday through Tuesday, 12 were residents of nursing homes and other care facilities. The 10 women and nine men ranged from 51 to 98 and all had underlying medical conditions, county health officials said.

Five were in their 90s, four in their 80s, eight in their 70s and two in their 50s.

The county added 1,216 new positive cases over the three-day period, blowing past the 20,000 mark and ending up at 21,923 as of midnight Tuesday. Those figures put put Bucks County's seven-day average at 506 cases per day — dramatically higher than the rate just weeks ago.

Meanwhile, 81 patients were hospitalized in Bucks County with COVID-19. Seven of those were in critical condition and on ventilators, according to county health officials. Available adult ICU beds in the county were down to about 17 percent as of midnight Tuesday.

The new Bucks County numbers come as Pennsylvania reported its deadliest day yet during the pandemic. The state reported 220 new deaths from the virus on Wednesday, bringing the overall total to 11,762.

Gov. Tom Wolf said that new efforts to curb the spread of the virus are being considered. Wolf, himself, announced Wednesday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, saying he was experiencing no symptoms.

"As this virus rages, my positive test is a reminder that no one is immune from COVID, that following all precautions as I have done is not a guarantee, but it is what we know to be vital to stopping the spread of the disease and so I ask all Pennsylvanians to wear a mask, stay home as much as possible, socially distance yourself from those not in your household, and, most of all, take care of each other and stay safe," Wolf said in a written statement.

Among the new Bucks County cases, 117 were school students and 10 were school employees. Of the students, 25 percent were attending school in person full-time and 37 percent were taking virtual classes only. The rest were in hybrid models, health officials said.

RELATED: More Bucks Co. Kids Getting COVID, But Cases Not Traced To Schools

Bucks County's test positivity rate was at a high 15.3 percent for the seven-day period ending Dec. 3.