About 50% of Westmoreland County covid cases, deaths have come in December

Westmoreland County reported the most new coronavirus cases in about two weeks Tuesday.

There were 466 new cases reported, the most since 542 cases were announced Dec. 15. Tuesday’s new cases bring the county’s total to 18,855. In December, there have been 9,594 cases reported, which account for about 51% of the total.

Of the new cases, 134 are confirmed and 332 are probable. 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.

Seven new coronavirus-related deaths were reported Tuesday. The death total in Westmoreland County is 394. Of that, 195 deaths have come in December, making up almost 50% of total.

As of Tuesday, there are 183 covid patients hospitalized in Westmoreland County, with 21 in the ICU and 16 on ventilators, according to state Department of Health data. There are 24 ICU and 55 medical or surgical beds available in the county, per the DOH covid-19 dashboard. Those numbers equate to about 26% and 18% of beds, respectively.