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COVID-19 Numbers Are Up
As we close out September, there has been a lot of COVID-19 activity throughout the county.
September was our most infectious month, with Tioga County recording 29 new positive cases throughout the month. This is a 60% increase in just one month, and the highest number of positive cases in a single month since the onset of the virus. Twenty of those new positive cases were in the past 14 days, which is also the highest number of active cases we’ve ever recorded since March.
The Task Force has received a lot of questions about the increased number of positive cases as it relates to an increase in testing. And yes, we have seen an increase in testing of symptomatic people. However, we’ve also seen an approximate 0.5% increase in the COVID-19 positivity rate which is an increase of 40% just in the month of September.
So, with the number of positives increasing 60%, and the positivity rate increasing 40%, that tells us we have some work to do to slow the spread in the county.
This increase comes at a time when we are ushering in the fall season and temperatures are beginning to drop. Activities that were once suitable for outside will move to indoors. This is something we all need to be aware of because indoor congregate activity is a significant factor in the spread of the virus.
It’s not just Tioga County that’s seen a sharp increase. We are also seeing a significant increase in the counties surrounding ours, Bradford County has seen a significant increase I’m sure everyone has heard by now, the virus has caused the Troy and Canton School Districts to close and move to remote learning for the next couple weeks.
In Lycoming County to the South and Steuben County to the North, cases are also increasing. Chemung County has seen a significant increase and is battling a cluster spread event associated with a local church.
What does that mean for us? We need to be diligent in following the mitigation recommendations. Masking in public, coupled with social distancing is the most effective measure to reduce the spread of the virus. COVID-19 is real, masking and social distancing does help. Let’s pull together as one county fighting a common enemy and not get wrapped up in the political stigmas. Mask up for your family, mask up for your friends and mask up for our businesses who have already suffered enough.
Credits:
Videography: Andrew Moore, Austin Dragovich
Video Editing: Andrew Moore
Writing: James Nobles / Tioga County COVID-19 Task Force
Anchor: John Vogt
Produced by Vogt Media
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