Westmoreland County posts 568 covid-19 cases; 9 deaths

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday reported 568 new cases of the coronavirus in Westmoreland County.

It is the third-straight day the county reported at least 500 cases.

On Thursday, 505 cases were posted, followed by a record daily high of 657 on Friday.

Nine additional deaths were reported Saturday, increasing the death toll to 289. That’s 50 more than this time last week.

The first 12 days of December have produced a total of 90 covid-19 deaths in Westmoreland County. For perspective, the county didn’t reach that total from the time the virus was discovered there in March until July 16.

A record high 52 deaths were reported last week; 30 were reported two weeks ago and 29 the week prior to that. That makes a four-week total of 161 covid-19 related deaths. That represents 23% of the total deaths in the county from the virus.

Fifteen fatalities were reported Wednesday, tying the previous record set Dec. 2.

Of the new covid-19 cases, 263 are confirmed and 303 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 coronavirus.

Saturday’s addition puts the seven-day average at a record high 386 cases.

Westmoreland County has added more new coronavirus cases in the first 12 days of December — 4,333 — than in the first seven months since the virus arrived; the county surpassed that amount Oct. 29.

The county’s total cases are now at 13,594, a more than 2,700-case increase from last week’s 10,892.