COVID-19 Still Trending Down In Chester County: Update

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — New COVID-19 cases in Chester County continued to trend downward this week, though by fewer than last week's drop.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported Chester County's new cases were down by 148 in the week between Jan. 29 and Feb. 4. The previous seven days showed a drop of 255 new COVID-19 cases. The week before that saw new cases drop by 315, so the downward trend this week was half of what it was two weeks ago, slowing but continuing.

All of the state DOH measures reported weekly fell, with the exception of the testing positivity rate. The positivity rate for tests rose half a percentage point, from 7 percent to 7.5 percent in most recent the week. But, three weeks ago, that number was at 10 percent, then it dropped to 8.4 percent before measuring 7 percent in the week ending Jan. 29. Now, the positivity rate for COVID-19 is at 7.5 percent for the week ending Feb. 4.

Positivity rates are used alongside raw case counts to give a clearer picture of how a virus might be acting in an area's population.

The incidence rate also fell in the last week, from 161 to 133 per 100,000 residents.

Hospitalizations in Chester County for COVID-19 dropped again, from 118 two weeks ago, to 114 per day last week, to 103 per day in the week ending Feb. 4.

Fewer patients were on ventilators in the last seven days, also. In the week ending Jan. 28 the average number of persons reported on ventilators each day was 14. In the last seven-day period it was at 12.6.

The incidence rate statewide has fallen steadily, also, from 248 per 100,000 residence three weeks ago, to 203, at the Jan. 29 report down to 157.8 on Feb. 4, according to the state DOH.

New COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania dropped from 31,808 in the week ending Jan. 22 to 26,382 in the week ending Jan. 29 to 20,204 in the Feb. 4 report.

The Chester County Health Department reports 654 have died here of COVID-19.

For information on the COVID-19 vaccination in Chester County, go here.