The latest virus figures from the Pennsylvania Department of Health showed that COVID-19 remains a problem in the local region.
The weekly update provided by the health department and the office of Gov. Tom Wolf compared the period of April 2 to 8 to the previous seven days, March 26 to April 1.
Elk and Potter counties were both listed at substantial risk of community transmission of COVID-19, while McKean County is moderate and Cameron County is low.
McKean County’s percent positivity was at 9.1%, down slightly from the prior week’s rate of 9.2%. The incidence rate was 93.5 per 100,000 residents and there was one additional confirmed case of COVID-19 during the most recent period.
Elk County’s percent positivity had a considerable jump, from 16.3% to 22.8% for the most recent time period. The incidence rate was 240.7 per 100,000 residents, and there were 28 more confirmed cases during this time frame than there had been in the previous one.
Potter County’s percent positivity more than doubled, from 6.5% to 13.2%. The incidence rate was 115 per 100,000 residents. There were 11 additional confirmed cases during this time frame than there had been during the previous seven-day period.
Cameron County’s percent positivity dropped significantly, from 20% to 7.7%. There were two fewer confirmed cases in the current time frame than the prior one. The incidence rate was 67.5 per 100,000 residents
“As the weather warms up, we need all Pennsylvanians to unite against COVID-19,” Wolf said in a prepared statement. “Please continue to wear a mask, wash your hands, practice social distancing, and as it becomes your turn, make the decision to get vaccinated to best protect yourself from contracting the virus. Pennsylvanians continue to show their resiliency by making these sacrifices and ultimately keeping their neighbors and loved ones safe.”
As of April 8, the state had seen a seven-day case increase of 23,043 cases; the previous seven-day increase was 22,515 cases, indicating 528 additional new cases across the state over the past week compared to the previous week.
The statewide percent-positivity increased to 9.5 percent from 9.4 percent when compared to last week. There are now seven counties that have a positivity rate lower than 5 percent. There is one county reporting over 20 percent positivity rate.
“While the virus remains a threat in our communities, we need to continue following the guidance in place,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said.
