COVID cases dropping steadily in Chester County
WEST CHESTER >> The encouraging trend of declining cases of people testing positive for coronavirus continues in Chester County, as officials announced Sunday that case counts have dropped steadily for the past six weeks.
Last week, 542 people tested positive for COVID-19, a decline from 850 who tested positive four weeks ago, according to the Chester County Health Department. The trend is similar in neighboring Delaware County, where 619 tested positive last week, compared with 1,191 four weeks ago.
To date, 697 people have died of the virus in Chester County, with more than 27,300 testing positive. The recovery rate stands at 88.2 percent. The majority of the deaths — 430 — are from the county’s 75 long-term care facilities.
Avondale remains the county’s hot spot for coronavirus positivity, with 9.1 percent of the population testing positive, followed by Oxford with 7.6 percent, Atglen with 7.5 percent, Penn Township, 6.5 percent, East Nottingham, 6.3 percent, Elk Township, 6.1 percent, South Coatesville, 6.1 percent and Thornbury Township, 6 percent.
Despite the high positivity rate in Atglen, no one has died of the virus there, according to the Chester County Health Department. Other municipalities with no deaths attributable to coronavirus include London Britain, Newlin, West Marlborough, East Nantmeal, Highland and Franklin townships.
More people have died of coronavirus in Willistown Township – 57 – than any other municipality in Chester County. It is followed by Honey Brook with 35 deaths, West Chester, 33, Tredyffrin, 32, Caln, 31, East Bradford, 31, Phoenixville, 29, Oxford 27, West Brandywine, 23, and West Goshen, 21.
According to the Chester
County Health Department, getting the virus is riskiest for people who spend time at restaurants, bars, gyms, hair salons or barbershops. In Delaware County, it’s riskiest for those who travel outside of Pennsylvania.
Over the weekend, 1,500 vaccines were administered at West Chester University from the county’s pre-registration list in a joint partnership between the Chester County Health Department and Chester County Hospital. It was staffed by hospital and health department workers, and more than 40 volunteers from the Medical Reserve Corp.
So far, more than 1.4 million Pennsylvanians have been vaccinated with at least the first shot of the vaccine. About 562,000 people have also received their second dose.
“It takes time, but eventually everyone who wants the vaccine will have access to it,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement.
There has been an average of 72 deaths each day over the past week in Pennsylvania, down from just over 230 deaths a day in mid-January.
This week, small businesses are eligible to apply for forgivable loans. Beginning Wednesday, businesses with 20 or fewer employees can apply for the forgivable loans set up by the Biden Administration.