North Huntingdon-Irwin area covid cases up slightly as of April 12

There was a 2.1% increase in the number of new confirmed coronavirus cases in the four ZIP codes covering most of the Irwin, North Huntingdon and North Irwin areas from April 5 to 12, according to data released Monday by the state Department of Health.

It was the second consecutive week that the percentage of new covid cases among the 35,0000 residents in those communities was above 2% after remaining below that level since the week of Feb. 8 to 16, based on health department data.

There were 65 new cases from April 5 to 12, raising the total to 3,043 since the first case was reported in the region in March 2020. There were 1,487 probable but not confirmed cases of coronavirus as of April 12, up from 1,430 probable cases as of a week ago. The number of negative test results since the pandemic began rose to 12,222, which was 131 more than April 5.

In the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin 15642 ZIP code, there were 2,933 confirmed cases, an increase of 65 cases in the past week; 1,455 probable cases, an increase of 56, and 11,841 negative test results, an increase of 122. The 15642 ZIP code covers parts of neighboring Penn Township and Hempfield Township, but not the part of North Huntingdon bordering Trafford or White Oak.

The Westmoreland City 15692 ZIP code had 65 confirmed covid cases and 19 probable cases, both of which were the same as last week. There have been 224 negative test results as of April 12, an increase of only three since last week.

In the Ardara 15615 ZIP code, there were 28 confirmed and seven probable cases, which is no change from the past two weeks. There were 76 negative test results, up just two cases.

The Larimer 15647 ZIP code had 17 new confirmed, same as last week, and six probable cases, an increase of just one since April 5. There were 81 negative test results, four more than April 5.