Westmoreland County reports 5 new coronavirus deaths, 91 new cases
Westmoreland County added five new coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The five deaths bring the county’s total to 93 and are the highest single-day total since six deaths were reported on May 18.
The county also added 91 new covid-19 cases, bring the case total to 4,260.
The new cases — 79 confirmed and 12 probable — come from 382 tests for a daily positivity rate of 23.82%. The county’s overall positivity rate is 7.66% since March.
Westmoreland County’s hospitalizations have been on a steady rise in October. Before this month, the county’s 14-day average for hospitalizations never surpassed nine, according to state data. But in October, it’s consistently climbed:
- Oct. 1: 7.1
- Oct. 8: 13.8
- Oct. 15: 25.2
- Oct. 22: 38.4
- Oct. 28: 42.8
According to the state’s covid-19 dashboard, there are currently 47 coronavirus patients hospitalized in the county, an increase of three from Tuesday’s 44. Westmoreland has 88 ventilators, with 15 in use but just seven by covid-19 patients.
Westmoreland County commissioners are expected to award a $10,000 contract to Harrisburg-based LW Consulting Inc. to review the policies in place and make recommendations for improvements at Westmoreland Manor, the county-owned nursing home. More than 160 residents and employees there have been infected with coronavirus there.
Mike Palm is a TribLive digital producer who also writes music reviews and features. A Westmoreland County native, he joined the Trib in 2001, where he spent years on the sports copy desk, including serving as night sports editor. He has been with the multimedia staff since 2013. He can be reached at mpalm@triblive.com.
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