Chesco COVID-19 Positivity A Full Percentage Point Below State's

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — Fewer than two COVID-19 tests of every 100 given are coming back positive in Chester County, a rate that is one full percentage point lower than the statewide rate of 2.9 percent.

As Chester County's Health Department estimates 70 percent of residents 18 or older will be fully vaccinated by July 1, right now 43 percent over 18 are fully vaccinated in the county, and 74 percent of all eligible residents are either fully or partially vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported on June 8 that 212,890 have been fully vaccinated in Chester County, and 154,343 are partially vaccinated.

The statewide percent positivity rate for COVID-19 tests is now at 2.9 percent. It was more than three times that as recently as early April, when it reached 9.4 percent.

But Chester County's positivity rate has been lower than 2.9 for the last three weeks. The Pennsylvania Department of Health late last week reported Chester County's positivity rate had dropped to 1.9 percent by June 3, and it had been 2.3 percent the week before, and 2.7 the week ending May 20. On May 13, Chester County's positivity rate had been just over 6 percent.

Chester County's neighbors had similarly low positivity rates recently, but Chester County's was lower and its incidence rate is lower than either Montgomery or Delaware county's.

The DOH reported Delaware County had a positivity rate of 2.0 percent in the week ended June 3. Montgomery County's positivity rate was 1.9 percent in the same report. Lancaster County's positivity rate was 2.2 percent.

"Lowered case counts and increased vaccinations every day continue to be encouraging news across the commonwealth," Gov. Tom Wolf said. "Pennsylvanians remain resilient putting their best foot forward to fight COVID-19."

Chester County's COVID-19 case count was down by 44 in the seven-day period ending June 3. Only 71 new cases were reported, down from 115 the week before, in the DOH report.

The incidence rate here continues its trend downward in Chester County. It was 21.9 per 100,000 residents in the May 27 DOH report, and that number is down to 13.5 per 100,000 residents in the June 3 report.

On May 20, the incidence rate had been 36.4, and in the week ended May 6, Chester County's incidence rate was 85.5 per 100,000 residents.

Average daily hospitalizations for COVID-19 dropped also, from 20.6 to 15.9 in the week-by-week report.

Chester County has had 38,314 documented COVID-19 cases, based on positive test counts, the Chester County Health Department reported today. Today, the state DOH reported 821 deaths in Chester County from COVID-19, since the pandemic began.

Pennsylvania's Department of Health announced the commonwealth's mask order will be lifted statewide on June 28 as COVID-19 metrics have improved enough across Pennsylvania to do so safely.

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