COVID-19 has claimed its first victim in Bucks County.
County officials confirmed the man in his 60s died Saturday due to COVID-19. He had a history of underlying health conditions.
The death marks the 34th one in the state, but the first in Bucks County.
The man was admitted to the ICU on Friday. County officials did not release what hospital the death occurred in or additional details on the victim.
“We regret having to announce this sad news to our community, and we extend our sincere condolences to this man’s family and friends,” County Commissioners Chairperson Diane Ellis-Marseglia said in a statement.
“We’ve known, from the experiences elsewhere in the commonwealth, the country and in other countries that once you have community spread of coronavirus, some of our most vulnerable people may die from this disease,” Bucks County Health Department Director Dr. David Damsker said. “This is what we are seeking to limit through our social distancing measures.”
The county’s top public health officials expressed his condolences to the man’s family.
Bucks County has 20 residents hospitalized with COVID-19. Thirteen of them are in stable condition and seven are on ventilators in critical condition as of late Saturday night. Most of those in critical condition are older and have other medical conditions, county officials said.
There were 36 new COVID-19 cases reported in Bucks County on Saturday. The number of cases in the county passed 200 and totaled 216 as of evening.
Damsker said in a statement Friday night that he hoped mitigation measures and social distancing would work.
“Soon, if not this weekend then early next week … we should not be seeing community spread if everyone is staying in their homes. We shouldn’t be seeing cases where we can’t identify the source,” Damsker said.
