Westmoreland County adds 98 covid-19 cases

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday reported 98 new cases of the coronavirus in Westmoreland County, as hospitalizations and case counts decline in the area.

The county’s total cases are at 25,766, which is an increase of about 560 cases from the preceding week’s 25,202. The week before had an increase of 540, and two weeks ago the increase was about 700 cases.

Saturday’s cases represent the high of the week. A low of 59 was reported Monday.

No new deaths were reported, leaving the toll at 646. That’s 14 more than there were the preceding week. Thirty-one deaths were reported two weeks ago.

Six fatalities were reported Tuesday, a high for the week. Another four were reported last Sunday. Three and one deaths were reported on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Thirteen days into February, 41 deaths have been recorded. In January, there were 178 deaths recorded.

In December, 224 deaths were reported. Westmoreland County didn’t reach that number from the time the virus was first reported there in March until Dec. 4.

Of the new covid-19 cases, 66 are confirmed, and 32 are probable. Health officials define a probable case as one in which a patient has a positive viral antigen test or covid symptoms with a “high-risk exposure” to someone who has been confirmed to have covid-19.

The results come from a batch of 357 tests. The positivity rate is 18.5%.

There are 127 covid-19 patients in hospitals in the county — four fewer than this time last week. Of that total, five are in intensive care (-4), two of whom are on ventilators (-5).