45 Pa. counties have substantial spread of COVID-19; positive test rate rises for third week in a row – PennLive

More of Pennsylvanias counties are now showing substantial spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Tom Wolfs office said Monday.

Across Pennsylvania, 45 of the states 67 counties have demonstrated substantial transmission of COVID-19, Wolfs office said. Last week, the Wolf administration said 35 counties were showing substantial transmission of the coronavirus, so 10 more counties have joined that list.

The Wolf administration uses three categories to gauge the transmission of COVID-19: low, moderate and substantial. Each week, the Wolf administration offers a report on the number of counties with substantial spread of COVID-19.

In February and March, the number of counties with high transmission of the coronavirus had been dropping. In mid-March, only 21 counties were designated as having substantial transmission. But since then, that number has more than doubled and now two-thirds of Pennsylvanias counties are considered to have substantial spread of COVID-19.

The positive test rate for the coronavirus rose to 9.4% for the week of March 26 through April 1, up from 7.6% during the previous week. Its the third straight week the positive rate has risen in Pennsylvania. At one point, the rate had dropped for 12 straight weeks.

For context, the rate of positive coronavirus tests remains well below the peak of 16.2% in December, but health officials have said a positive test rate higher than 5% is a source of concern. The rate had been 5.7% just three weeks ago.

More than 2,200 people are being treated in hospitals for COVID-19, an increase of more than 800 since mid-March, according to data from the Pennsylvania Health Department. Hospitalizations remain well below the peak of about 6,300 in December, but the states hospitals are admitting more people for COVID-19 treatment.

The rising number of counties with substantial spread and the uptick in hospitalizations comes as the state is easing restrictions on restaurants and other businesses. Under the new rules, restaurants can move up to 75% of indoor occupancy, resume bar service and serve alcohol up until 2 a.m.

New guidance for schools

State officials have urged school districts to evaluate the spread of COVID-19 in determining whether students should be in school, educated remotely or with a mix of distance learning and face-to-face instruction. Most school districts are offering at least some in-person instruction but some of Pennsylvanias schools continue to operate remotely.

On Monday, the Wolf administration offered some revised guidance for schools.

Even in counties with substantial spread of COVID-19, schools are advised they can continue offering at least a blended learning model mixing remote instruction with in-person classes, Wolfs office said. Previously, the state advised middle and high schools to consider shifting toward remote instruction in counties with substantial transmission.

In counties with moderate transmission, the states new guidance says schools can continue with face-to-face instruction full-time, or schools can opt for a hybrid approach.

We remain committed to doing everything we can to create the conditions for a return to in-person instruction as soon as safely possible, Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega said in a statement. Our updated instructional model recommendations create additional flexibilities for school leaders to make decisions at the local level consistent with best practices and with public health and safety at the forefront.

The Wolf administration stresses the guidance for schools is not a mandate.

Only five counties are showing low transmission of COVID-19, while 17 counties have moderate spread of the virus, the Wolf administration said. All of the counties in the Harrisburg area are now showing substantial transmission.

Heres the full breakdown of COVID-19 transmission levels in each county.

Low: Cameron, Forest, Fulton, Potter and Sullivan

Moderate: Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Fayette, Indiana, Jefferson, McKean, Mercer, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango and Warren

Substantial: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Franklin, Greene, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming and York

Vaccine rollout

The state is also expanding its COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

Beginning Monday, all residents in Phase 1B are now eligible for the vaccines and can begin scheduling appointments. This phase includes mass transit employees, manufacturing workers, postal employees and clergy. They join key front-line workers who became eligible for the vaccine last week, including law enforcement, firefighters, grocery store employees and food and agriculture workers.

Starting April 12, all residents in Phase 1C can start scheduling appointments. Phase 1C covers more critical workers including those in the energy sector, legal services, housing construction, federal, state and local government workers, financial services, bank tellers and information technology workers.

On April 19, everyone will be eligible for the vaccines, Gov. Wolf said last week.

More than 3.7 million Pennsylvanians have received at least one shot and more than 2 million have been fully vaccinated, according to the Pennsylvania Health Department. The state data doesnt include the city of Philadelphia, which is handling its own rollout.

In Philadelphia, more than 530,000 people have been given at least one dose and more than 278,000 are fully vaccinated, according to city health department data through April 1.

Combining the city and state data, heres the vaccination picture in Pennsylvania: More than 4.2 million have had at least one shot and nearly 2.3 million are fully vaccinated.

More than 1 million people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Pennsylvania and more than 25,000 deaths have been tied to COVID-19, according to the Pennsylvania Health Department.

Most of those who are infected suffer relatively mild symptoms and many dont even get sick, health officials say. But doctors say the virus poses serious risks to everyone, particularly for seniors and those with chronic medical conditions.

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45 Pa. counties have substantial spread of COVID-19; positive test rate rises for third week in a row - PennLive