The COVID-19 situation continues to improve in the region, as the number of new cases in the past week, the number of new cases per 100,000 residents — the incidence rate — and the test positivity rate all went down in all six counties, according to Friday’s update from the state’s early warning dashboard.

For the first time in a long time, all the counties’ incidence rates and all the counties’ positivity rates are below the thresholds of concern, although Clearfield’s positivity is exactly 5%.

The biggest decline in the number of new cases was in Blair County — by 33 to 44 new cases.

The smallest number of new cases this week was in Huntingdon, with 10 — down 8 from the previous week.

The largest number of new cases this week was in Cambria, with 49 — down 20 from the previous week.

The biggest incidence rate decline was in Clearfield County — down 33 to 32 new cases per 100,000 residents.

This week, Cambria posted the highest incidence rate, at 37, although that is down 16 from the previous week.

Centre County has the lowest incidence rate now — nine new cases per 100,000 people, down 16 from the week before.

Blair’s incidence rate was down 27 to 36 new cases per 100,000 residents.

The only statistical backsliding this week occurred with hospitalizations: Cambria’s average daily number of COVID-19 hospital patients rose by five to 29; while Clearfield’s number rose by one to six.

The local numbers:

* Blair: new cases, down 33 to 44; incidence rate, down 27 to 36; positivity, down 2.3 points to 3.0%; average daily number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital, down 2.3 to 17.

* Bedford: new cases, down 13 to 15; incidence rate, down 26 to 31; positivity, down 3.6 points to 4.7%.

* Cambria: new cases, down 20 to 49; incidence rate, down 16 to 37; positivity, down 0.3 points to 3.2%; daily patient count, up five to 29.

* Centre: new cases, down 26 to 16; incidence rate, down 16 to 9; positivity, down 2.1% to 1.8%; daily patient count, down 3 to 11.

* Clearfield: new cases, down 26 to 26; incidence rate, down 33 to 32; positivity, down 1.5 points to 5%.

* Huntingdon: new cases: down 8 to 10; incidence rate, down 17 to 22; positivity, down 0.8 points to 2.2%.

Statewide, the number of new patients fell by more than 2,000; the incidence rate fell by 17 to 22; and test positivity fell by 0.8 points to 2.9%.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.