Westmoreland County reaches 250 covid deaths; 80% have come since September

With new covid-19 deaths reported, Westmoreland County reached a milestone Tuesday.

The eight new coronavirus-related deaths reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health bring the county’s total to 250 deaths.

To put deaths in Westmoreland County in perspective, it took from March 19 (when the county’s first cases were reported) to Sept. 17 — about six months time — to reach 50 deaths. From Sept. 18 through Tuesday, the county reported 200 deaths in less than three months. Thus far in December, there have been 51 covid deaths reported in Westmoreland County.

The county also reported 253 new cases Tuesday. Total cases now stand at 11,667.

The seven-day average of new cases is now 315 and the seven-day total is 2,207, both records.

As of Tuesday, there are 138 covid-19 patients hospitalized in Westmoreland County, with 16 in the ICU and 12 on ventilators.