Brian Hagberg
WARREN, Pa. – From March 24, when the first COVID-19 case was reported in Warren County, through Oct. 31 the county had never had more than three consecutive days with new cases reported. After seven more confirmed cases were reported Monday, the county has now gone two straight weeks with new cases.
Were it not for the zero reported Nov. 8, Warren County would be facing a full month of new daily reports. The seven reported Monday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Tuesday update, bring the cumulative case count to 172 cases, 150 confirmed and 22 probable.
From Nov. 9 through Nov. 23, Warren County’s cumulative case count has increased by 87. The county’s total cumulative count on Nov. 8, including all cases since March 24, was 85.
The rapid case count increase caused Warren County to move to the “substantial” Level of Community Transmission. The county had been in the “low” level from July through October, then moved to “moderate” after the first week of November.
Warren County’s increase has mirrored a statewide trend that has caused the Wolf Administration to announce additional targeted mitigation efforts. The first set was announced last week and focused on masking, travel and colleges and universities.
Another round was announced Monday and included tightened gathering restrictions and a freeze of on-site alcohol sales Wednesday night.
Warren County’s cumulative cases per 100,000, which had been below 100 until September, has also grown exponentially. It was at 111.4 on Oct. 1, then grew throughout the month to 179.8 on Oct. 31. The number has grown from 187.4 on Nov. 1 to 435.5 as of Nov. 23.
The county’s cases per 100,000 is still the lowest in the state, but is rapidly approaching Cameron County (445.2). Only six of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are under 1,000 cases per 100,000. The other four are Sullivan (741.2), Forest (769.3), Wayne (813.2) and Potter (956.6).
To date, there has been a single death reported in Warren County.
The cumulative case count includes those cases the state considers “recovered.”
A case is considered recovered “if a case has not been reported as a death, and it is more than 30 days past the date of their first positive test (or onset of symptoms) then an individual is considered recovered,” according to the Department of Health.
