The Thanksgiving Surge is Peaking; No Reduction in Mitigation Expected
HARRISBURG – The state of Pennsylvania still has ‘substantial spread’ of COVID-19 in every county, but there is some evidence, the exponential increase in daily cases is starting to plateau.
Dr. Rachel Levine, State Department of Health Secretary, said this week, the number of positive cases, and hospitalizations, remain extremely high, but are not climbing exponentially at this time. She says the number of people who are recovered…that percentage going up again. Also, “The statewide percent positivity, as reported on the early warning monitoring dashboard, is now 15.1% statewide. This continues to represent a slight decrease from the week before.”
Still troubling she says are increases in the number of children, between the ages of 5 and 18, who are contracting the virus.
Dr. Levine said, unfortunately, for New Years Eve parties, and restaurants, the partial lock down of Pennsylvania will continue for now, and won’t be curtailed early, “We cannot let our guard down, we must stay the course and continue to work together and stand united to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
Still worrisome, according to Dr. Levine, were the number of people traveling over Christmas, and the number of families and individuals who still are gathering in groups. She said a post holiday surge in positive coronavirus cases, seems inevitable.
