1 more coronavirus death reported in Westmoreland

Officials said late Monday that a woman died from the coronavirus in Westmoreland County, bringing the death total to 25.

The death was reported to the coroner’s office and added to the total Coroner Ken Bacha is providing on his department’s website. He is being notified of virus-related deaths sooner than the state Department of Health, which on Tuesday was reporting 20 covid-19 deaths countywide.

Deaths related to contagious diseases that could constitute a public health hazard are required by law to be reported to coroners in the county where the death occurred.

State health officials said five new cases of the virus were reported throughout the day Monday in Westmoreland, bringing the county total to 291.

The majority of the county’s coronavirus-related deaths are tied to nursing and personal care facilities, Bacha has said. Those facilities have not been publicly identified by the coroner or state health department, which is tracking cases around Pennsylvania.

In Westmoreland, 13 men and 12 women between ages 61 and 109 have died. All were white, according to the coroner’s data.