The most recent state data shows 300 people in the Penn-Trafford Star’s coverage area have had confirmed cases of coronavirus since the start of the international pandemic in March, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The health department on Monday released data on confirmed cases of the virus in the five ZIP codes that comprise the Star’s coverage area, showing an increase of 58 positive cases since Oct. 12.
The health department keeps a count of coronavirus cases and test results for communities based on ZIP codes.
The largest number of cases, 175, originated in the 15644 ZIP code, which includes Jeannette and parts of Penn Township.
The 15085 ZIP code, which encompasses Trafford, shows 64 confirmed cases.
There have been 52 confirmed cases in the 15623 ZIP code, which includes the Harrison City neighborhood.
The Manor (15665) and Claridge (15623) ZIP codes have seen 21 and 8 cases, respectively.
The data also show 4,372 negative test results in those five areas. With a total of 4,672 tests, just over 6% have come back positive for covid-19.
The Penn-Trafford School District has undergone multiple school closures this year due to positive covid-19 cases in its buildings. And while data released on Oct. 23 indicates that Westmoreland County’s community transmission is “substantial” for the second week in a row — a designation under which state health officials recommend closing schools — Superintendent Matt Harris said the district has chosen to remain open.
“We will still discuss the high school hybrid option at the Nov. 2 school board meeting,” Harris wrote in an Oct. 23 letter to district parents. “Over the past month, we closed four of our schools based on the data and the need and if necessary we will continue to close buildings. If the state recommendation becomes a mandate, PTSD will obviously follow the mandate.”
According to the state’s covid-19 tracking website, in Westmoreland County there have been 3,666 confirmed cases, 503 probable cases, 51,047 negative tests and 88 deaths since the outbreak began.
Despite a small spike in late June and early July, the county’s daily confirmed case counts had remained relatively low until a sharp uptick beginning in late September, which continued before peaking at 136 cases reported on Oct. 14. And with the exception of two small daily spikes, those numbers have been trending downward in the past week.
