Westmoreland County reports 8 additional covid deaths, the most in a week

Westmoreland County on Friday reported 120 new cases of coronavirus, above the seven-day average of 108 cases.

The number of total cases reported in the county is now 24,576, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Of the newly reported cases, 69 were confirmed from PCR tests and 51 are recorded as probable. The county has reported a total of 17,729 confirmed cases and 6,847 probable since the start of the pandemic here in March.

Health officials define a probable case as one in which a patient has a positive viral antigen test or covid symptoms with a “high-risk exposure” to someone who has been confirmed to have coronavirus.

The county announced eight additional covid-related deaths, bringing the total since March to 594 according to the state health department. The additional deaths are the most since the county added 12 on Jan. 20.

There have been 80,731 Westmoreland residents who have tested negative for the coronavirus.

Westmoreland has 148 patients currently hospitalized for covid-19, with 10 in intensive care units and six using ventilators. Of the 96 ventilators in the county, 22 are in use for all illnesses.