Bucks Co. Reports 12 COVID Deaths, Record New Case Numbers
BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Twelve new deaths and a record number of new cases were reported last week as the fall surge of the coronavirus hit Bucks County in earnest.
The county reported 1,676 new cases of the virus from Nov. 8-14 — an average of 239 new cases per day. That's more than double the total from the week before.
At the same time, the positivity rate of those tested in Bucks County rose to a troubling 9.5 percent, more than three times what scientists consider a sign of a virus that's largely under control with ample testing.
"The numbers are much higher, and almost every case is from unmasked exposures to family, friends, and co-workers," said Dr. David Damsker, director of the Bucks County Department of Health. "We need to tighten up mask usage in all situations. We’ve seen that they work, and work very well.
"The transmission risk is extremely low when both the infected person and the exposed person are masked – so low that a few states don’t even consider it to be an exposure."
The 12 coronavirus deaths reported in Bucks County last week were the most since the last week of May, when 27 deaths were reported. The 12 victims died from Oct. 30 through Friday, but all were reported to the county health department between Nov. 8-14.
All but two of the deaths — a 34-year-old man and a 74-year-old man — were of people over 80 years old, with three of them older than 90. All had underlying health conditions and all but two lived in long-term care facilities.
RELATED: Pennsylvania's New Travel Testing Order: See Full Details
Hospitalizations in Bucks County also rose last week, but at a rate far behind other parts of the country, where hospital beds are filling up with COVID patients. By the end of the week, 22 Bucks County residents were in hospitals with the virus, with two of them in critical condition and on ventilators.
"Older Bucks Countians are clearly at the highest risk of serious illness from COVID," Damsker said. "Let's protect them as best we can and make sure we aren’t sick and wear our masks when we’re around them. We know how to stop the spread of this virus. Let’s work together to be smarter."
Bucks County has had 12,241 people test positive for the coronavirus through Saturday, with 551 deaths attributed to it. More than 9,300 people have been confirmed to have recovered.
The median age of those who have been infected in Bucks County is 47, while the median age of death is 84.
The surge in Bucks County comes as case numbers continue to rise across Pennsylvania and the United States. Pennsylvania averaged 4,892 cases per day last week, almost double the average of the previous seven days.
Statewide hospitalizations are up more than 180 percent from a month ago, with 2,440 COVID-19 patients being treated and 531 of them in intensive care, health officials said.
On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine issued targeted guidance and restrictions including stronger mask requirements, testing and quarantine guidance for people entering the state and more.
Levine said the new restrictions are needed ahead of an anticipated hospital surge following the drastic spike in cases.
Anyone who visits Pennsylvania must now get tested within 72 hours before entering the state. Those who do not have their test results upon coming to Pennsylvania or cannot get a test will need to quarantine 14 days, Levine said.
RELATED: Pennsylvania Updates Mask Order: See Full Details
Nationally, more than one million new coronavirus cases were reported last week for the first time, as the country averages 150,000 new infections per day. More than 70,000 patients are hospitalized, overwhelming hospitals in some states, and total U.S. deaths from the pandemic are expected to reach 250,000 by early December.
This article originally appeared on the Bensalem Patch
