Coronavirus cases in the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin areas rose by 18% in the past week, another double-digit percentage increase in confirmed cases, according to data released Monday by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

In four ZIP codes that cover the bulk of the North Huntingdon-Irwin-Norwin areas, which also spreads into a portion of Penn Township, the health department said were an additional 183 cases of covid-19 from Nov. 23 to 30, raising the total number of cases since March to 1,008, up from 825 as of Nov. 23, based on health department data. The number of probable cases, which could worsen into confirmed cases, was 290 cases as of Nov. 30, up from 254 as of Nov. 23.

Covid-19 cases in the Norwin area have had double-digit percentage weekly increases since late October, based on health department figures.

In the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin ZIP code of 15642 — which covers the bulk of the Norwin area’s population of 35,000 — there were 964 confirmed cases since mid-March, up from 789 on Nov. 23. There were 281 probable cases and 7,896 negative tests. In the Westmoreland City ZIP code of 15692, there have been 36 confirmed cases, seven probable and 162 negative tests.

The Larimer ZIP code of 15647 has had between one and four confirmed and probable cases since March, with 44 negative tests results. In the Ardara 15647 ZIP code, there have been seven confirmed cases since the pandemic began, with between one and four probable cases and 48 tests with negative results.

With Westmoreland County at the substantial level for community transmission of the virus and cases increasing in the county, Norwin closed its schools to in-person instruction for the four days it is in session this week and all teaching will be fully remote.

District Superintendent Jeff Taylor said he would decide by Friday whether he would notify the state that Norwin would return to its hybrid form of instruction, with half the student body in school two days a week and then three days of remote learning. The other half of the student population would be in school two other days in a week, with all students getting remote instruction three days a week.

Norwin reported late Nov. 25 that it had been notified that two more high school students had tested positive for coronavirus, as well as a middle school staff member.

The district was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 26, 27 and 30. All schools will be sanitized during the break in in-person classes, Norwin said.

The health department, in coordination with the school nurses, is completing contact tracing where necessary.

There have been 81 covid-19 confirmed cases among Norwin’s students and staff since school began Aug. 31, 74 of which have been resolved. Of the active cases, four are students, according to the Norwin covid-19 tracker webpage.

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