Montco Now In 'High' COVID Transmission Category: CDC

NORRISTOWN, PA — With coronavirus cases surging and some mitigation measures beginning to return, Montgomery County finds itself in the "high" transmission category of the virus, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control.

Montgomery County has already spent the past two weeks in the "substantial" transmission category. Residents in counties in both the substantial and high categories are recommended to wear masks indoors in public, even if they're fully vaccinated. Local officials made an announcement to just that effect last week.

To reach the high designation, a county must have either more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents, or a positivity rate at 10 percent or higher.

>>These 28 PA Counties Now Have 'High' COVID Spread: CDC

As of Wednesday, Montgomery County has 107.83 cases per 100,000, CDC data shows. Its positivity rate now sits at 4.58.

All other metrics have continued to rise as well, with a 33 percent increase in hospital admissions over the past week, and a 23 percent increase in new cases, with 896 reported last week.

Statewide, 27 other counties around Pennsylvania have joined Montgomery in the high category. Nationwide, around 61 percent of U.S. counties are in the "high" transmission level and 19 percent are substantial.

States and counties with low vaccination rates are now hot spots for infections, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said at a recent briefing. The seven states with the lowest vaccination rates have 8.5 percent of the U.S. population but more than 17 percent of new cases.