Positivity

Sept. 10.

Meanwhile, Berks saw its coronavirus positivity rate soar to 6.0 percent for the period ending Sept. 17, up from 4.9 percent the previous week, according to state data.

While Chester County saw its positivity rate decrease to 5.5 percent for the period ending Sept. 17, down from 6.1 percent the previous week, the current rate was still considered high by health officials.

Gov. Tom Wolf identified those counties with positivity rates above 5 percent as counties with “concerning percent-positivity.” Each of the counties bears watching as the state continues to monitor all available data, Wolf said.

Health officials believe having a positivity rate less than 5 percent indicates a county is controlling the spread of the virus and keeping it suppressed.

According to state data for the most recent sevenday period ending Sept. 17, other neighboring counties recorded the following percent-positivity rates: Bucks (3.6%); Delaware (3.3%); Philadelphia (3.1%); and Lehigh (2.8%).

Like Montgomery County, Bucks, Delaware, Philadelphia and Lehigh counties all recorded decreases in their COVID-19 percent-positivity rates during the week ending Sept. 17, according to the data.

Wolf said the state’s COVID-19 dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the state’s mitigation efforts. The data available on the dashboard includes week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, test percent-positivity, and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19.

As of Sept. 17, the statewide percent-positivity rate decreased to 3.8 percent from 4.2 percent the previous week, according to the dashboard.

“Our percent positivity decreased significantly this week, showing that we continue to offer COVID-19 testing across the state to everyone who needs it,” Wolf said on Monday.

“We know that congregation, especially in college and university settings, yields increased case counts. The mitigation efforts in place now are essential to flattening the curve and saving lives,” state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine added. “Wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and following the requirements set forth in the orders for bars and restaurants, gatherings, and telework will help keep our case counts low. Together, as Pennsylvanians, all of our efforts are designed to support our communities to ensure that cases of COVID-19 remain low.”

On Monday, Montgomery County officials reported 104 more individuals, including two in long-term care facilities, tested positive for the coronavirus during the period Sept. 19 to Sept. 21, bringing the county’s total number of cases to 11,730 since March 7, when the first two cases of the virus were identified in the county.

No new deaths were reported in the county during the three-day period, leaving the county’s COVID-19 death toll at 830.

To keep the positivity rate below 5 percent, county Commissioners’ Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh has stressed residents should continue to abide by all mask wearing, handwashing and social distancing recommendations.

“I’m always happy to report when these numbers are going down, even if it’s by a fraction of a percent,” Arkoosh during a news briefing last week.

As schools begin to bring students back, keeping the virus suppressed is more important than ever, Arkoosh said.

“While many of our 22 school districts are beginning the school year with a virtual format, all are hoping that they will feel comfortable bringing at least some students back in-person later this fall or in January,” Arkoosh said. “The likelihood of their being able to do this depends on all of us working together to keep the spread of virus in our community to a minimum. That is our goal. We have to work as a community to keep these numbers low.”