By Carin Holmes
Assistant News Editor

As Pennsylvania sees a rise in COVID-19 cases, rates are rising in Berks County, the home of KU, as well. 

On March 1, Pa. reported 2,531 COVID-19 cases. A month later on April 1, there were nearly double the amount of cases reported, with 4,883 cases. 

Berks County is seeing a similar trend, with 150 cases reported on March 1 and 279 cases on April 1.  

Pa.’s rise in COVID-19 cases has resulted in the state joining four others—New York, Michigan, Florida and New Jersey—in accounting for 43% of the United States’ new cases. This comes despite these five states making up just 22% of the country’s population. 

This rise in cases is coming at the same time that Pa. is ranked #14 in the nation for the amount of first-dose COVID-19 vaccines given. As of April 8, 35.4% of Pa’s more than 12 million residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. However, in Berks County, only 12.7% of the population has received a first dose. 

As previously reported in The Keystone, vaccine eligibility is beginning to expand in the state of Pa. Individuals in phases 1A and 1B are currently eligible to be vaccinated. Those in 1C will be eligible on April 12, and all Pennsylvanians will be eligible on April 19.