HARRISBURG, Pa. | Governor Tom Wolf and Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam released a weekly status update on Tuesday detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System dashboard.
This status update announced it had been highlighting a seven-day case increase of 1,370 cases, a statewide percent positivity of 1.4% and no counties with substantial transmission status.
“Today we are not reporting any counties in the substantial level of transmission – which is great indicator of our fight against COVID-19,” Gov. Wolf said. “We need to remain resilient in the fight against COVID-19 starting with getting vaccinated and making our communities a safer place."
As of Thursday, June 17, the state says it has seen a seven-day case increase of 1,370 cases; the previous seven-day increase was 2,228 cases, indicating 858 fewer new cases across the state over the past week compared to the previous week, experts say.
The statewide percent-positivity decreased to 1.4% from 1.9% when compared to last week. There are now 64 counties that have a positivity rate lower than 5 percent. There are no counties reporting over 20% positivity rate.
“As we continue to fight COVID-19, testing, case investigations and contact tracing continue to play a critical effort in our response,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “Please remember to get tested if you experience COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed and answer the phone when a public health professional is calling.”
For the week ending June 18, there were 37 counties in the low level of transmission, 30 counties in the moderate level of transmission, and no counties were in the substantial level of community transmission, officials stated.
Throughout the pandemic, data shows there have been 133,957 total cases of COVID-19 among 5 to 18-year-olds. Of that total, 221 occurred between June 11 – June 17.
Cases by demographic group is available on the DOH website.
The department says it continues to prioritize case investigations to prevent outbreaks. In addition to the need for people to answer the call from a case investigator, Pennsylvanians should continue to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Gov. Wolf also says he continues to prioritize the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians through the COVID-19 pandemic.
He reminds Pennsylvanians that they should continue to take actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, regardless of in what county they live. 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.
