Valley stable as state monitors southwest region

individual tested positive for the coronavirus — but they also include some probable cases.

Among the scenarios that would cause someone to be listed as a probable case is one in which the individual has not been tested but shows symptoms and has had close contact with a confirmed case.

On Tuesday, the state added 995 cases to its tally, the largest one-day increase since May 10. But the state said 288 cases for Philadelphia that pumped up Tuesday’s total were actually logged “over several weeks.”

Republican state Rep. Seth Grove of York County on Thursday said such “data dumps” have decreased public confidence in state data.

“People looking at it say, ‘Oh my gosh, we have a massive number,’ and that perpetuates fear,” he said. “If you are dumping the data in there, it skews your entire trendline.”

Grove suggested federal coronavirus relief money be used to help the Department of

Health improve its data system.

State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, a Lehigh County Democrat, said statewide data has shown a flip-flop: Several months ago, eastern counties posted the greatest concern, but now concern is focused on the southwest.

The relatively low hospitalization rates in Lehigh, Northampton and Monroe counties, he said, likely reflect the fact that overall, fewer people are getting sick than a few months ago.

But he also noted that new virus cases are skewing more toward younger people, who are less likely to get seriously ill from it than seniors.