Bucks Co. COVID-19 Cases See 'Significant Decline': Health Dept.

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Bucks County's top health official expressed concerns that school districts are committing to virtual learning "at a time when case numbers appear to be declining once again."

His comments come as Bucks County reported a "significant decline" in the number of COVID-19 cases over the past three days. The daily count averaged 29 from Tuesday through Thursday.

“Several area school districts are now making critical decisions about virtual schooling that will last many months in some instances, when our cases are headed lower, hospitalizations continue to be at the lowest rates since March, and deaths are infrequent,” said David Damsker, director of the county health department. “While it is, of course, an individual school district decision, our local data are showing improvements now that will hopefully be taken into account when finalizing school health and safety plans.”

In total, there were 87 cases over the three-day period – 28 on Tuesday, 38 on Wednesday and 21 today. The health department, in its latest update, reported "consistently low hospitalization numbers" and no deaths.

Statewide, the seven-day average of new daily cases has been decreasing since July 30, and reached 788 on Wednesday, the lowest level since July 14.

Pennsylvania has had a total of 117,279 coronavirus cases after 758 new cases were confirmed Friday. There have been 7,297 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 15 new deaths since Thursday.

“Our numbers, along with many others in Southeastern Pennsylvania and across the state, are now trending back downward after a small summer increase,” Damsker said.

Damsker's comments come hours after Gov. Tom Wolf said his administration is recommending there be no school and recreational youth sports until January due to the pandemic.

Speaking during a Thursday news conference that was to be an overview about the status of testing in the state, Wolf responded to the final question about spectators being prohibited from attending high school sports.

"The guidance is that we ought to avoid any congregate settings, and that means anything that brings people together is going to help that virus get us," Wolf said. "Anytime we get together for any reason, that's a problem."

His office later clarified the guidance is a "strong recommendation and not an order or mandate."

Of the 87 cases reported in Bucks County over the past three days, 36 were infected through household contacts, 14 were attributed to pure community spread, nine were infected out of state, four are residents or workers at long-term care facilities, three are healthcare workers, one was infected at a non-healthcare workplace and 20 were unable to be fully interviewed immediately.

Bucks County has had 6,708 residents test positive for COVID-19 during the pandemic. A total of 514 deaths have been attributed to the virus, including 410 long-term care residents, while 5,667 are confirmed to have recovered.

As of late Thursday, 19 Bucks County coronavirus patients are hospitalized. Three are in critical condition and on ventilators.