North Huntingdon-Irwin area covid cases continue to slow

The spread of covid cases in the North Huntingdon-Irwin area slowed to a trickle over the past week, with only 43 additional confirmed cases being reported from Feb. 1 to Feb. 8, according to state Department of Health data.

The state reported Monday there was only a 1.6% increase in covid cases in the North Huntingdon-Irwin, Larimer, Ardara and Westmoreland City ZIP codes. Confirmed covid cases in the area rose from 2,533 to 2,576 as of Feb. 8, another indication that the post-holiday spike in cases has not occurred in an area with a population of 35,000. There had been only a 1.8% increase in confirmed cases from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2.

The four ZIP codes cover most of the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin area, but not sections bordering Trafford or White Oak.

The number of probable but not confirmed covid cases also rose only slightly in the past week, to 1,151 from 1,099, as calculated from when coronavirus hit the region in March 2020. The largest jump in the data was in the number of negative tests results, rising to 12,131 as of Feb. 8, from 10,852 as of Feb. 1. Every negative test result is counted, regardless of whether a person has had multiple negative test results.

In the North Huntingdon-Irwin 15642 ZIP code, which includes some of the western edge of Hempfield and Penn townships, there were , 2482 confirmed cases, 1,103 probable cases and 10,651 tests with negative results.

There were 61 confirmed covid cases in the Westmoreland City 15692 ZIP code, 18 probable cases and 208 negative test results.

In the Ardara 15615 ZIP code, there were 19 confirmed cases, five probable and 65 negative test results.

There were 14 confirmed cases in the Larimer 15647 ZIP code, five probable cases and 71 negative test results.

In the Norwin School District, eight students and two staff members reported between Feb. 1 and 8 that they had tested positive for coronavirus. All school buildings with the exception of the Sheridan Terrace Elementary and Hahntown Elementary schools had at least one positive case during that period.

The school district’s Covid-19 Tracker lists eight active covid cases as of Monday and 290 resolved cases since school began on Aug. 31. The school district currently has 52 students under quarantine and four staff members.