Chesco's COVID-19 Metrics Shaky, But Holding The Line

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — COVID-19 case counts, incidence rate, and positivity are all down this week, even if just a bit, as the same numbers statewide remained nearly the same in the last week-to-week comparison.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported new COVID-19 cases in Chester County were down by 45 in the week ended Oct. 1, compared to the previous week ended Sept. 24. Last week, 652 new cases were reported in Chesco, and in the most recent week, there were 607 cases reported, according to the DOH.

Across Pennsylvania, the same week-to-week comparison showed across the state new COVID-19 cases down by 236. Last week, 25,792 new cases were reported in Pennsylvania, and in the most recent week, there were 25,555 cases reported, according to the DOH.

Incidence rate per 100,000 residents fell statewide over the same two-week period. In the week ended Sept. 24, the incidence rate was 201.5 and in the week ended Oct. 1, it was 199.6 per 100,000 residents across Pennsylvania.

Chester County's COVID-19 incidence rate looked better than the state's rate did over the most recent two weeks. In the week ended Sept. 24, the incidence rate in Chester County was 124.2 and in the week ended Oct. 1, it was 115.6 per 100,000 residents, the DOH reported.

Yet, an incidence rate higher than 80 per 100,000 residence falls in the CDC's Very High transmission risk category.

Percent positivity rate on COVID-19 test given in the County showed Chester County's metric looking notably better than the state overall. Chester County remained in the Moderate COVID transmission risk category — between 5 and 7 percent positivity — while the state overall was in the High transmission risk category between 7 and 10 percent.

Chesco's positivity rate was 5.9 for the week ended Oct. 1 and had been 6.1 for the week ended Sept. 24. But for Pennsylvania overall, the positivity rate was 9.1 percent for the week ended Oct. 1 and had been 8.8 percent in the previous seven days, in the DOH report.

Average daily hospitalizations for COVID-19 rose by 9 in Chester County, week-to-week from 40 the week of Sept. 24 to 49 in the most recent week. Statwide, average daily hospitalizations for COVID-19 rose by 292 from week-to-week. In the week ended Sept. 24, 2,458 people were hospitalized on average each day for COVID-19, and in the week ended Oct. 1, 2,751 were in the hospital each day on average, across Pennsylvania.

To date, 851 persons have died from COVID-19 in Chester County and across Pennsylvania, 29,531 have died, the DOH reports.

Chester County Health Department is offering COVID-19 and flu vaccines at clinics planned through the fall at sites across Chester County.

Read a report about Chester County's vaccination clinics for COVID-19 and flu, here.

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