For the second week in a row, Cameron County is the only one in the state that isn’t in the “substantial level of community transmission” for COVID-19.
Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine released a report on Monday highlighting a seven-day case increase of 48,668 cases and a statewide percent positivity of 14.4%.
“The latest update continues to show the effect COVID-19 is having in Pennsylvania,” Wolf said. “The mitigation steps in place are necessary to prevent our health system from being overrun. We are approaching that point, which is why we need all Pennsylvanians to follow these measures as part of their collective responsibility to protect one another and the health system.”
The highest percent positivity in the region was Potter County’s, at 28.9%, which is the second highest in the state. McKean County’s was 8.4%, Elk County’s at 8.2% and Cameron County’s at 12.5%.
As of Dec. 3, the state had seen a seven-day case increase of 48,668 cases; the previous seven-day increase was 42,713 cases, indicating 5,955 more new cases across the state over the past week compared to the previous week.
The statewide percent-positivity went up to 14.4% from 11.7% last week. Every county in the state has a concerning percent positivity above five percent. This includes nine counties (Mifflin, Potter, Bedford, Montour, Juniata, Somerset, Tioga, Franklin, and Lawrence) with percent positivity at or above 20 percent.
“This week’s data, and the continued strain COVID-19 is placing on the rate of hospitalizations and ventilator use is a reminder to us all of our role in protecting our health care systems,” Levine said. “Models continue to indicate very concerning trends for our hospital availability and ICU bed availability, even as we see some counties with very little capacity left. We know COVID-19 does not discriminate and is affecting every county in the Commonwealth. It is affecting all Pennsylvanians, no matter your race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status or whether you live in a rural, suburban or urban area.”
