The number of confirmed cases, the percent positive rate, and number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 has plummeted recently in Schuylkill County.
According to the latest information from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health, the current positivity rate locally is 5.9%, the lowest it’s been in months. That rate was measured over the last 7 days, ending May 20. The rate for the previous 7 days was 8.1%. The local rate is above the statewide average positivity rate of 4.5%.
COVID Positive Rate in Schuylkill County Drops to 5.9%
Percent positive is simply a measure of the number of COVID tests that return a positive result from the total number of tests administered. Health regulators believe the positivity rate is an indication of “community spread” of COVID-19.
In addition to a severe drop in the percent positive rate, the number of confirmed COVID cases has dropped in Schuylkill County over the last week, too. Ending May 20, there were just 71 cases over the previous week. That’s 57 less than the previous 7 days.
Statewide, there were 3,003 less cases of COVID confirmed over the last week.
There are 4 less people in the hospital per day getting treated for COVID-19 complications, according to state data. Right now, there are 14 people getting treated in local hospitals for COVID-19. Four of them are in an ICU unit.
While all those numbers are good signs, of course, the most important is the number of deaths linked to COVID-19. Those, too, have dropped off considerably lately. Going back to the beginning of April, 19 Schuylkill County residents have died from COVID complications.
Here’s a chart from the Dept. of Health showing how COVID deaths have dropped off significantly.
Regardless of all these numbers, Pennsylvania is dropping nearly all restrictions related to the COVID pandemic on May 31. The only restriction left in place will be the mask mandate that mostly applies now to people who haven’t received a COVID vaccine.
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