COVID cases show fourth straight week of decline in Chesco
WEST CHESTER » For the fourth week in a row, the percentage of people testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Chester and Delaware counties has declined.
In the past seven days, the number of cases has dropped by 18 percent, according to data compiled by the Chester County Health Department.
In Chester County last week, 183 people tested positive for coronavirus with a 2.53 percent positivity rate. Four weeks ago, the positivity rate was 5.21 percent, three weeks ago, 3.89 percent and two weeks ago, 3.41 percent. Currently, the average number of people testing positive for coronavirus on a daily basis in the county is 21. And the recovery rate is just over 81 percent.
The number of deaths from coronavirus con
tinues to decline as well. Two Chester County residents died last week from complications of coronavirus. In June, 38 Chester County residents died from coronavirus, and in July, 15 and so far in August, 3. So far this year, 352 residents of Chester County have died from the disease.
“Our highest age group remains the under 40 crowd, please remember to follow proper safety protocols and protect your friends, family and neighbors,” said Chester County Commissioner Josh Maxwell.
Of the 5,439 people who have tested positive in Chester County, more than 1,000 of them are from the age 20 to 29 age bracket, the fastest growing age segment, according to the Chester County Health Department.
At Chester County long term care facilities, 273 residents have died from the disease, most of them in June in April and May. Also 1,144 residents have tested positive at these facilities to date.
Of all 67 counties, Chester County has the seventh highest number of nursing home coronavirus deaths, with 46. Montgomery County leads with 96, followed by Philadelphia, Bucks, Lancaster and Delaware counties. In nursing and personal care
homes, there are 20,730 resident cases of COVID-19, and 4,394 cases among employees, for a total of 25,124 at 919 distinct facilities in 61 counties.
At Chester County Hospital, there are two confirmed patients with coronavirus as of Monday, said spokeswoman Diana Walker.
Municipalities with the highest number of deaths from coronavirus are Willistown Township with 51, East Vincent Township, 40,
East Goshen Township, 36, East Bradford Township, 27, Phoenixville, 22, West Chester, 19, Caln Township, 16 and Tredyffrin Township, 14.
Cases are declining in Delaware County as well. Positive case numbers have dropped from 522 four weeks ago to 390 last week. The coronavirus positivity rate in Delaware County has dropped from 6.5 percent four weeks ago to 4.31 percent as of last week.
The downward trend in
case counts mirrors that in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported Monday that there are 426 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to just short of 130,000 in all 67 counties. The 426 daily number is the lowest reported daily number in months. And like Chester and Delaware counties, the greatest percentage of people testing positive are in the early 20s to mid 30s.