Butler County added one COVID-19 death as well as 34 new confirmed cases over the past three days, but state officials said in a news conference Monday that the upward trend is a statewide issue.

“We've been talking about this a long time,” said Gov. Tom Wolf in the news conference. “We've been seeing the average case counts creeping up. This upsurge, there's evidence that it's starting.”

According to Monday's report by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there have been 1,219 county residents who have tested positive for the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.

The county's death toll increased by one to 27 deaths with the latest death recorded in Sunday's report.

Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said the surge is an unfortunate, but anticipated, phenomenon. She said the state is putting an emphasis on incidence rates, which are the rate of new cases, but also percent positivity rates, which record the percentage of all coronavirus tests performed that are actually positive.

“Every part of the state has been impacted,” Levine said. “Another trend is in percent positivity in statewide and independent counties. The percent positivity (for the state) is at 4.3%. That's the highest it's been since Aug. 7.”

Currently, the state is placing counties with a percent positivity rate of 5% or more into the “substantial” risk transmission category, which is tied to the state's recommendations on things such as schools and business operations.

According to the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard, Butler County plateaued last week, and it remained in the “moderate” level of risk.

Butler County added three fewer new cases than the week before, and its percent positive decreased from 3.9% last week to 3.2% this week.

The county's hospitalization rate, which includes any hospitalizations of patients with COVID-like-symptoms, rose to 1% this week, an increase of 0.1% from last week.

Butler Health System reported an increased need for intensive care at both its hospitals this week.

Butler Memorial Hospital reported four inpatients Monday, an increase of three. The hospital has three patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and one suspected of having the virus. Two inpatients are being treated in the intensive care unit.

Clarion Hospital reported three inpatients, the same as Friday's report. The hospital has three patients who tested positive for COVID-19 with two of those being treated in the ICU.

BHS also announced Monday it would be moving its outdoor COVID-19 testing site as of Oct. 26. The tent in the Brady Street Parking Lot will move to 304 Delwood Road.

According to a news release Monday, there will be signs to point people in the right direction. Hours will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, and patients will continue to need a physician's order to get the testing done.

Wolf and Levine said despite the surge concern, they feel the state and its health care systems are better prepared now than they were when the coronavirus strain originally struck at the beginning of the year.

They reminded residents to remain vigilant and continue practicing proper social-distancing, mask-wearing and other general health practices.

“Now is really the time to double down on our efforts to keep ourselves and those around us safe,” Wolf said.

Last week, Levine said in a news conference that the state likely would not revert to such drastic measures as closing businesses and schools, although schools continue to be under the guidance of the Department of Health.

In a statement posted Friday, Mars Area School District notified district families and staff that an afternoon kindergarten student at the Primary Center tested positive for COVID-19.

The district has contacted the Department of Health and is implementing steps for safety and contact tracing, including a 14-day quarantine period for children who came into close contact with the infected student.

Students in quarantine will receive instructions about switching to the district's livestream interactive learning platform, if they haven't already.

Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School also received notification that a Union School District student who attended homecoming Friday has been notified they were in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

“We have begun the deep cleaning protocol in the locker room area and restrooms,” said David McDeavitt, A-C Valley superintendent, in a statement Monday. “Both school districts have called the DOH and we are canceling games scheduled for this evening.”

A-C Valley volleyball games for girls varsity and junior varsity with Forest Area School District were postponed Monday. Union had a junior varsity and varsity game scheduled Monday with Venango Catholic. Those games were canceled.

A-C Valley is also proceeding along with protocols and asking any students who may have been in close contact — within 6 feet of the person for more than 15 minutes — to stay home as a precaution.