Westmoreland County records 98 covid-19 cases, 3 deaths

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday reported 98 new cases of the coronavirus in Westmoreland County, marking the third time in the past eight days the count has neared triple digits.

The county’s total cases are at 26,275, which is an increase of 509 cases from the preceding week’s 25,766. The week before had an increase of 560 cases, and two weeks ago the increase was about 540; three weeks ago, the change was 700.

Saturday’s cases represent the high of the week and was the same total as last Saturday; 98 cases were also reported on Tuesday. A low of 45 cases were reported Friday.

Three new deaths were reported, lifting the toll to 663. That’s 17 more than there were the preceding week. Fourteen deaths were reported two weeks ago, while 31 were reported three weeks ago.

Five fatalities were reported Thursday, a high for the week. Another four were reported Wednesday. Three and two deaths were reported on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

Twenty days into February, 58 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, 50 are confirmed, and 48 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 207 tests. The positivity rate is just over 47%.

There are 114 covid-19 patients in hospitals in the county — 13 fewer than this time last week. Of that total, four are in intensive care, three of whom are on ventilators.