Montco's COVID Positivity Rate Now Up To 4.2 Percent

NORRISTOWN, PA — All six key metrics used to track the virus saw significant upticks over the past week in Montgomery County, as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.

That includes the percent positivity rate on COVID tests, which is now all the way up to 4.2 percent. It was as low as 0.5 percent just a few weeks ago, but has continued to rise by nearly a percentage point a week since then. The CDC's "concerning" threshold, at which point the virus is no longer being suppressed, is five percent.

Local officials are carefully watching the rise.

"While these increases are concerning, I do want to stress that overall we still remain in a good place as a County," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said. "What can we do to push back against these negative trends? The answer remains the same: If you haven't done so already, and you are eligible and able to do so, get vaccinated."

The county's vaccination rate does continue to climb, even as cases rise, Arkoosh noted. About 77 percent of all eligible Montgomery County residents 12 and over have received at least one shot.

The remainder of the data points tracked by the Pennsylvania Department of Health increased, according to statistics covering the seven day period from July 30 to Aug. 5.

Perhaps most notable was the meteoric rise in the average daily number of patients on ventilators increased. That number went up from 1.1 — near where it's been hovering for months — 5.1, indicating that more individuals are experiencing more serious illness.

Here's how Montgomery County fared in the rest of the data points:

• The incidence rate per 100,000 residents went from 38 to 55
• The average daily number of hospitalizations rose from 21 to 49
• The percentage of emergency room visits due to coronavirus symptoms decreased from 0.8 to 1.1 percent