PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The high rate of increase of new COVID-19 cases in Philadelphia has officials concerned.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is blaming it on the delta variant, which is now the dominant strain in the city that’s causing case counts to rise.
“The highest rates in the highest increase are in adults 20 to 34,” said acting Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole. “From what I hear from colleagues around the country, that’s who’s in the hospital. They are taking care of people in their 20s who are on ventilators.”
Bettigole said the number of cases is actually the same as last summer and much lower than when things were at their worst. However, the concern is how quickly the numbers have risen. They doubled between July 12 and 19, then doubled again between July 19 and Aug. 1.
As a result, the city is resuming weekly COVID-19 briefings until further notice.
Health officials stress the importance of getting vaccinated, masking — double-masking if not vaccinated — and social distancing.
Related
As numbers change, so could mandates. Bettigole said the city is committed to protecting Philadelphians and keeping restrictions at a minimum where possible.
Determining which areas are considered substantial or high risk will be based on the CDC’s definition. You can check the status of your county here.