Penn-Trafford elementary closed after 2 new virus cases

Sunrise Elementary School in the Penn-Trafford School District is closed after two more people in the building tested positive for the coronavirus.

That brings the total active case count to three within 14 days, according Superintendent Matt Harris.

The school was notified Friday morning of the new cases, Harris said in a message to parents. He did not say if the positive cases were students or faculty members.

Under state health guidelines, that means the school should close for up to seven days. Also learning remotely Friday are students in the high school, Penn Middle School and Harrison Park Elementary. All other schools have in-person classes.

All Penn-Trafford students will have remote classes next week under a previously created schedule. After holiday break, remote classes for all students will be held the week of Jan. 4.

All district schools are expected to reopen for in-person classes Jan. 11, Harris said. Many schools in the area are opting for a similar schedule that keeps students at at home for a time after the holiday break to slow any post-holiday coronavirus outbreaks.

The number of coronavirus cases in Westmoreland County has been increasing since mid-October. On Thursday, the state Department of Health reported 397 new cases and nine deaths.

The total number of cases in the county stood at 15,545 as of Thursday afternoon. The death toll is 326. There have been 122 deaths attributed to the virus so far in December in Westmoreland County, according to state data.

About 70,000 people have tested negative. The county’s seven-day average is 454 cases and the county’s seven-day case total is 3,176, both just shy of the record highs set Wednesday.