Westmoreland sees 30 new covid-19 cases, 6th double-digit increase this week

Westmoreland County saw 30 new cases of covid-19 in the past 24 hours, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported Saturday, but no additional deaths.

That makes the sixth time in the past week that Westmoreland County saw double-digit increases in new coronavirus cases.

The new cases make a total of 774 cases in the county since the new virus was first reported there on March 20. The death toll stands at 38.

The state reports 747 confirmed cases, while 27 are probable.

The department reported 33 new cases Friday, 36 on Thursday, 29 cases Wednesday, six on Tuesday, 20 on Monday and 13 on Sunday.

Nearly 19,000 people in Westmoreland County have tested negative for the virus.

Local officials continue to preach caution and exercising social distancing measures during the Fourth of July weekend.

“We cannot stress the importance of being safe this weekend in order to keep our numbers low and to keep our economy open,” county commissioners Gina Cerilli, Douglas Chew and Sean Kertes said in a news release Thursday. “The measures that you practice will enable the county to stay in the ‘green’ phase, protect the health of residents, continue the path toward economic recovery and prevent the governor from placing additional restrictions on Westmoreland County.”

All of Pennsylvania is now in the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s reopening plan.