Bucks County's COVID new cases flat; Pennsylvania cases up 8.6%

Mike Stucka USA TODAY NETWORK
·3 min read
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled graduations across the country. Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School in Florida came up with an alternative: The beach walk in their caps and gowns six feet apart. The event was so popular, it became tradition the day before their actual graduation, shown here on May 19.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled graduations across the country. Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School in Florida came up with an alternative: The beach walk in their caps and gowns six feet apart. The event was so popular, it became tradition the day before their actual graduation, shown here on May 19.

New coronavirus cases increased 8.6% in Pennsylvania in the week ending Sunday as the state added 29,664 cases. The previous week had 27,317 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Pennsylvania ranked 23rd among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States decreased 11.3% from the week before, with 702,236 cases reported. With 3.85% of the country's population, Pennsylvania had 4.22% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 32 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

Bucks County reported 1,396 cases and eight deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 1,414 cases and eight deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 129,314 cases and 1,921 deaths.

Montgomery County reported 2,280 cases and 14 deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 2,337 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 162,771 cases and 2,345 deaths.

Within Pennsylvania, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Allegheny County with 348 cases per 100,000 per week; Bradford County with 327; and Cameron County with 315. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the most new cases overall were Allegheny County, with 4,234 cases; Philadelphia County, with 2,768 cases; and Montgomery County, with 2,280. Weekly case counts rose in 46 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Allegheny, Westmoreland and Philadelphia counties.

>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

Pennsylvania ranked 13th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 84.9% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 77.7%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.

In the week ending Wednesday, Pennsylvania reported administering another 126,842 vaccine doses, including 22,201 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 319,300 vaccine doses, including 22,696 first doses. In all, Pennsylvania reported it has administered 23,045,182 total doses.

Across Pennsylvania, cases fell in 20 counties, with the best declines in Lackawanna County, with 603 cases from 735 a week earlier; in Bradford County, with 197 cases from 302; and in Northampton County, with 859 cases from 937.

In Pennsylvania, 249 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 84 people were reported dead.

A total of 2,907,324 people in Pennsylvania have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 45,147 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 83,984,644 people have tested positive and 1,004,733 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

Pennsylvania's COVID-19 hospital admissions falling

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, May 29.

Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

  • Last week: 3,954

  • The week before that: 4,105

  • Four weeks ago: 3,074

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

  • Last week: 55,952

  • The week before that: 52,036

  • Four weeks ago: 41,964

Hospitals in 34 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 33 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 35 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County reported 1,396 additional COVID-19 cases this week