Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard Update for Dec. 18 Dec. 25: Case Increases Near 46,800; Percent Positivity at 15.1% and All…

Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today released a weekly status update detailing the states mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard, highlighting a seven-day case increase of 46,777, a statewide percent positivity of 15.1% and all 67 counties with substantial transmission status.

The update includes the following:

The dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the states mitigation efforts. The data available on the early warning monitoring dashboard includes week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, test percent-positivity, and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19. This weeks update compares the period of December 18 December 25 to the previous seven days, December 11 December 18.

This is the second consecutive week that we see a decrease in percent positivity, providing us with data that our efforts to reduce and mitigate the spread are working, Gov. Wolf said. Although this is encouraging, we need to stay the course in our fight against COVID-19. We need Pennsylvanians to continue efforts to stay safe, stay home as much as possible, wear a mask when out of our homes, and avoid gatherings with those outside our households.

As of Thursday, December 24, the state has seen a seven-day case increase of 46,777 cases; the previous seven-day increase was 57,098 cases, indicating 10,321 fewer new cases across the state over the past week compared to the previous week.

The statewide percent-positivity went down to 15.1% from 15.82% last week. Every county in the state has a concerning percent positivity above five percent. This includes 19 counties with percent positivity at or above 20 percent.

The decisions we make over the holiday season will continue to impact the effect of COVID-19 across the state, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. We need to continue our efforts to practice social distancing, avoid gatherings, download the COVID Alert PA app, and answer the call when a public health professional is calling you. By using all the tools in our toolbox, we can unite to stop the spread of COVID-19 across the state and further protect our health care system.

As of Fridays data, all 67 counties were in the substantial level of community transmission, the highest level of transmission.

For the week ending December 24, 67 counties were in the substantial level of transmission.

The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of statewide cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds.

Throughout the pandemic, there have been 48,988 total cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds. Of that total, 4,698 cases occurred between December 18 December 25. For the week of December 11 December 17, there were 5,750 cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds.

Cases by demographic group is available on the DOH website.

The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of individuals who responded to case investigators that they spent time at business establishments (restaurants, bars, gym/fitness centers, salon/barbershops) and at mass gatherings 14 days prior to the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

It is important to note that due to the recent number of cases, the department is prioritizing case investigations to prevent outbreak. In addition to the need for people to answer the call, the significant number of cases helps contribute to the low percentages in case investigation data. All of this reinforces the need for Pennsylvanians to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Of the 63,870 confirmed cases reported between December 13 and December 19, 4.6 percent (2,952) provided an answer to the question as to whether they spent time at a business establishment.

Of those who did provide an answer, 0.4 percent, or 274, answered yes, they visited a business establishment 14 days prior to onset of symptoms:

Of the 63,870 confirmed cases, 4.6 percent (2,961) answered the question as to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event. Of the 4.6 percent of cases, 7 percent (194) answered yes to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event 14 days prior to onset of symptoms.

Compared to data reported on December 21, this weeks data saw an increase for people who reported going to a restaurant (41 percent vs. 37 percent last week) and going to a gym (12 percent vs. 10 percent last week). The data saw an decrease for people who reported going to a some other business (34 percent vs. 38 percent last week), going to a bar (13 percent vs. 14 percent last week) and going to a salon/barbershop (7 percent vs. 8 percent last week). The number of those who attended a mass gathering or other large event decreased to 7 percent from 8 percent last week.

The numbers above highlight business settings and mass gatherings as possible sites for transmission. With less than half of those asked about what types of businesses they visited or if they attended a mass gathering responding to the question, the department is reminding Pennsylvanians that it is essential that people answer the phone when case investigators call and to provide full and complete information to these clinical professionals.

In November, the Department of Health provided an updated travel order requiring anyone over the age of 11 who visits from another state to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in a travel quarantine for 14 days upon entering Pennsylvania. Travel quarantine guidance was changed to 10 days on Dec. 5 based on new CDC guidance.

This order does not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment, those who left the state for less than 24 hours, and those complying with a court order, including child custody.

It is important that people understand that this Order is in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. A concerning number of recent cases have been linked to travel, and if people are going to travel, we need them to take steps to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community, and that involves having either a negative test, or placing themselves in a quarantine.

Gov. Wolf continues to prioritize the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians through the COVID-19 pandemic. Pennsylvanians should continue to take actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, regardless of in what county they live. This includes wearing a mask or face covering anytime they are in public. COVID-19 has been shown to spread easily in the air and contagious carriers can be asymptomatic. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to wash their hands, social distance, avoid gatherings and download COVID Alert PA.

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Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard Update for Dec. 18 Dec. 25: Case Increases Near 46,800; Percent Positivity at 15.1% and All...