North Huntingdon-Irwin area covid cases drop again as of March 15, 2021

The rate of new coronavirus cases in the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin area again fell during the past week, with state Department of Health reporting Monday there were only 32 new cases during the second full week of March.

In the four ZIP codes covering North Huntingdon, Irwin, North Irwin, Westmoreland City, Ardara and Larimer, the number of cases increased by 32 to 2,797, up from 2,765 on March 8, just a 1.1% increase in confirmed cases from March 8 to 15, according to health department data. The number of new confirmed cases and percentage of new cases has declined steadily since late January.

The number of cases is counted from the first coronavirus case in March 2020 in the region.

There were 1,303 probable but not confirmed cases, an increase of just 19 cases. Since coronavirus testing began last year, there have been 11,732 negative test results, an increase of 135 negative tests in those four ZIP codes since March 8.

In the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin 15642 ZIP code, there were 2,692 confirmed cases, an increase of 32; 1,275 probable but not confirmed covid cases, an increase of 19 cases; and 11,362 negative test results, a jump of 133 cases. The 15642 ZIP code also covers parts of Penn Township and Hempfield Township, but not sections of North Huntingdon bordering Trafford or White Oak.

There were 63 confirmed covid cases and 18 probable cases in the Westmoreland City 15692 ZIP code, which was no change from March 8. There were 222 negative test results as of March 15, a slight rise from March 8.

In the Ardara 15615 ZIP code, there were 25 confirmed cases, five probable, the same as March 8. There were 72 negative test results.

There were 17 new confirmed cases and five probable in the Larimer 15647 ZIP code, no increase in a week. There were 76 negative test results, one less than last week.

The Norwin School District said it received reports from March 8-12 of 12 students contracting coronavirus, although two of the students receiving home-bound instruction through the Norwin Online Academy were included in the covid court.

Those students who reported being infected with covid were:

• two Norwin Online Academy students

• five high school students

• one middle school student

• one Hillcrest Intermediate student

• one Stewartsville Elementary student

• two Sunset Valley students

There were just seven students who reported having coronivirus from March 1-5.