49 Counties Across PA Have 'High' COVID Spread: CDC

PENNSYLVANIA — A total of 49 counties across Pennsylvania now have "high" spread of COVID-19, nearly doubling where that number stood just a week ago as the delta variant continues its march around the country.

Pennsylvania has reported more than 11,669 new cases of the virus in the most recently tracked 7-day period, an increase of 2,300 from the week previous.

The Centers for Disease Control's "high" category is the most serious level of community transmission. Another 14 Pennsylvania counties are in the "substantial" grouping, which is the next highest level.

The categorizations are relevant as school districts form their health and safety plans for the 2021-22 school year. The CDC recommends that all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask indoors in public if they are in a substantial or high transmission area.

To reach the high level, a county must have an incidence rate per 100,000 of 100 or more, or a percent positivity rate of 10 or higher.

Pennsylvania has vaccinated 80.7 percent of its 18 and over population with at least one dose. Officials say that nearly all new cases and hospitalizations are among the unvaccinated, although "breakthrough" cases among the vaccinated have occurred. More notably, vaccinated individuals can transmit the virus without showing symptoms.

Here are the full vaccination rates for those 18 and older for the 63 counties with high or substantial spread:

HIGH

Adams, 60.1
Allegheny, 80.4
Armstrong, 65.1
Beaver, 52.6
Bedford, 42.4
Berks, 71.8

Blair, 58.6
Bucks, 83.7
Butler, 69.3
Cambria, 61.9
Carbon, 72.1
Chester, 81
Clearfield, 56.1
Clinton, 50
Columbia, 66.7
Cumberland, 85.3
Dauphin, 73.1
Delaware, 85.3
Elk, 65.9
Erie, 64.9
Fayette, 64
Franklin, 54.9
Fulton, 36.3
Greene, 56.6
Indiana, 51.7
Jefferson, 58.4
Lancaster, 72.8
Lawrence, 56.6
Lebanon, 64
Lehigh, 88.4
Luzerne, 71.4
Lycoming, 59.4
Monroe, 67
Mercer, 60.8
Montgomery, 77.6
Northampton, 84.9
Northumberland, 66
Perry, 65.3
Philadelphia, 75.3
Pike, 64.5
Scuylkill, 73.8
Snyder, 55
Sullivan, 71.5
Venango, 38.9
Warren, 59.2
Washington, 76.4
Wayne, 69.1
Westmoreland, 67.2
York, 67.5

SUBSTANTIAL

Cameron, 75.7
Centre, 65.7
Clarion, 51.1
Huntingdon, 55
Juniata, 50.3
Lackawanna, 82.1
McKean, 63.3
Mifflin, 59.9
Montour, 84.2
Potter, 27.7
Susquehanna, 51.3
Tioga, 45.9
Union, 64.7
Wyoming, 69.1