Montco's Percent Positivity Rate Shoots Up To 8.1 Percent

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — The fourth wave of coronavirus has continued to spread in Montgomery County, as increases are seen across Pennsylvania and much of the region.

The county's percent positivity rate on COVID-19 tests rose significantly last week, up to 8.1 percent. That's a 2.4 percentage point rise, from the county's 5.7 percent mark the week before. It's also well above the "concerning" mark of 5 percent noted by the CDC.

The rises come after months of case numbers steadily fell across the state. And it's despite warmer weather, and increased vaccinations.

“While we see a rise in cases across Pennsylvania it remains critical for all Pennsylvanians to do their part and practice proven public health practices to keep each other safe,” Gov. Wolf said this week.

One reason which officials are citing for the surge is the increased presence of more infectious variants of the virus. Specifically, the U.K. B.1.1.7 variant may comprise up to 50 percent of all new cases in the state since Feb. 1, according to one study.

Case numbers also rose from 995 to 1,360, while the incidence rate per 100,000 residents in the county increased from 119 to 163.

It's the third consecutive week these numbers increased in the county.

Experts with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Policy Lab, which forecasts future case numbers, are optimistic this surge will not be as deadly or as widespread as previous surges. That's in part due to the fact that many of these new cases are among unvaccinated younger people, and that many of the most vulnerable individuals are now immunized. Warmer weather should also help mitigate things, but mask wearing and social distancing are still important to stop the spread, officials say.

Healthcare metrics also increased in Montgomery County. The average daily. number of patients on ventilators is at 12 (11 last week), while the percentage of emergency room visits due to COVID-19 is at 0.7 percent (0.4).

The average daily number of hospitalizations in the county, meanwhile, increased from 136 to 169.