Westmoreland coronavirus death tally holds steady; total cases up to 391

Westmoreland County recorded five more cases of the coronavirus Thursday as deaths stayed steady at 30, according to state and county data.

The new cases bring the countywide total to 391, according to numbers from the state Department of Health. The new cases were reported throughout the day Wednesday.

The state’s count of covid-19 deaths in the county remains behind that of coroner Ken Bacha, who has noted that he receives that information sooner than state officials. The state is reporting 25 deaths.

The state on Wednesday was reporting 26 deaths. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine has said numbers can often shift as officials determine the deceased’s county of residence. Deaths are being attributed to the county in which someone lived, not where they were pronounced dead.

The Department of Health is reporting 132 covid-19 cases across eight Westmoreland County care facilities along with 29 employees who have contracted the virus. Twenty-two of the county’s deaths have been in such care facilities, according to the state.

Fourteen men and 16 women between the ages of 61 and 109 have died from the virus in Westmoreland County, according to Bacha’s statistics. All were white.