Flags at county government offices will be lowered to half-staff to remember the COVID-19 patients who have died, the Bucks County Commissioners ordered Saturday.
The symbolic gesture came as three more deaths of COVID-19 patients – a man in his late 70s and two men in their early 50s – were reported by county officials.
All three of the men had serious underlying health issues, said Dr. David Damsker, the director of the Bucks County Health Department.
The majority of the 14 COVID-19 patients who have died in the county have been older and with underlying health conditions.
One of those who died Saturday was Tullytown Fire Company Assistant Chief Rick Johnson, 50.
County officials said several emergency responders and medical workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks. In addition, three county correctional department workers and one inmate have tested positive.
“It’s not surprising that we are having cases among workers at health care facilities and close-quarters facilities like prisons,” Damsker said. “We expected that, since they are among the people who have to leave their homes each day to do this essential work. We hope that it will begin to decrease with the universal masking recommendations that have been made by the governor. “
On Saturday, Bucks County’s COVID-19 case rate jump 64 to 580. As of nighttime, 25 patients were in hospitals and 11 of them in critical condition on ventilators.
Damsker has stressed that the COVID-19 rate is likely much higher in Bucks County, but most with mild cases do not need testing.
Bucks County reported 76 people have recovered from COVID-19.
