July 07, 2020
Alex Brinkman/Unsplash
Bucks County officials say a recent spike in COVID-19 is tied to out-of-state travel, including people vacationing in Myrtle Beach.
Bucks County health officials believe a recent spike of COVID-19 cases can be partially attributed to residents who vacationed in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Nearly half of the 103 cases reported between Friday and Monday are related to out-of-state travel, Health Director Dr. David Damsker said Monday. Many cases included travelers returning from Myrtle Beach.
“Think twice before you leave for any area of the country that is currently experiencing a high prevalence of COVID-19," Damsker said. "If you have to go, be smart. Wear a mask, sanitize your hands frequently and avoid bars and other similar gatherings of people."
Bucks County had an average of 26 new coronavirus cases per day over the four-day period. Without the infections stemming from out-of-state travel, the average would have been 13 cases per day.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf implemented an advisory last week urging travelers from various COVID-19 hotspots to self-isolate for 14 days upon their arrival. It applies to anyone traveling from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington.
New Jersey, New York and Connecticut instituted a similar advisory in June.
Bucks County has reported 5,576 COVID-19 cases and 510 deaths since the pandemic began in March.
Pennsylvania reported 736 new cases on Tuesday, increasing the statewide total to 88,691. There were another three fatalities, pushing the statewide death toll to 6,787.
Follow Virginia & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @vastreva | @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Add Virginia's RSS feed to your feed reader
Have a news tip? Let us know.
