Westmoreland coroner reports another coronavirus death

The Westmoreland County coroner on Monday reported one additional covid-19 death, bringing the countywide death total to 31.

State officials continue to report fewer deaths than Coroner Ken Bacha, who updated the death count early Monday morning. As of noon Monday, state officials were reporting 26 deaths in Westmoreland County. Twenty-three of those deaths are linked to nursing and personal care homes.

Nursing homes and other senior care facilities are linked to about 39% of the county’s total positive cases.

According to state officials, 129 residents and 30 employees of eight distinct nursing and personal care homes had tested positive for the virus. State officials are not providing the data breakdown for each facility.

Bacha said 24 of the people who died had tested positive for the virus while seven weren’t tested and had presumed cases due to symptoms.

Bacha said the deaths occurred in people between the ages of 61 and 109, with the average age being 83. There were 14 men and 17 women. All were white. The majority of deaths were linked to nursing homes.

As of Monday, 403 people had tested positive for covid-19 in Westmoreland County, an increase of two since Sunday, state officals said. More than 4,900 people had tested negative for the virus.