Bucks Co. Coronavirus Numbers 'Show Improvement': Health Director

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Bucks County's health director said Tuesday that recent coronavirus trends have made him comfortable with the idea of loosening some of the county's pandemic-related restrictions.

"The numbers consistently show improvement," said Dr. David Damsker, director of the Bucks County Department of Health. "And I feel more and more comfortable with the idea of moving to the next phase of reopening in the near future."

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On Tuesday, 70 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in Bucks County, with more than half of them in long-term care facilities. Nine more deaths with COVID-19 were recorded, pushing the county's total to 341.

All of those whose deaths were reported Tuesday had underlying health conditions, officials said, and all but one lived in long-term care facilities. They ranged in age from 62 to 99. Three of the deaths happened in April and were just reported Tuesday.

Health officials said that, of the new cases, 36 live in long-term care facilities, three work in those facilities, 10 got the virus from someone in their household, four were from contacts at work and two were healthcare workers. Eight were unable to be reached and only seven were identified as community spread.

On Tuesday, 175 coronavirus patiens were hospitalized in Bucks County, with 24 in critical condition and on ventilators. In all, 1,100 have been confirmed to have recovered from the virus.

Statistics, charts and other coronavirus-related information for Bucks County can be found on the county's coronavirus data portal.

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