Nine new COVID-19 cases in Fayette, eight deaths in Allegheny County
Allegheny County announced eight new COVID-19 deaths Wednesday as positive case counts continued to rise in most counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
The county also announced 96 new cases after a string of days when that number stretched into triple digits and into the 300s.
“Unfortunately, we have at least another year of dealing with this virus,” Allegheny Health Department Director Debra Bogen said Wednesday.
There are early signs that mitigation efforts put in place more than three weeks ago might be working, Bogen said.
The COVID-19 test positivity rate has fallen from 12% when the county’s mitigation order was issued to under 6% Wednesday, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said.
“It’s really a credit to this community,” Fitzgerald said.
He said more people appear to be wearing masks in public.
Bogen said contact tracers have determined that there are new cases linked to private parties.
Meanwhile, Washington County added 11 new cases of the virus, taking its total Wednesday to 603. Fayette County’s case count reached 288 after nine new cases were announced that day. Greene County stood at 91 with no new cases reported.
Bars that don’t sell food were still under a state order to close to help prevent the spread of the disease. Some of them began to offer dollar hot dogs to customers as a loophole to remain open, Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday.
Local DOH data updates reported between Tuesday and Wednesday include:
COVID-19 cases
Fayette County: 288 cases (+9); 7,582 negative tests; four deaths (no change)
Greene County: 91 cases (+0); 2,144 negative tests; no deaths
Washington County: 603 cases (+11); 12,718 negative tests; seven deaths (no change)
Westmoreland County: 1,214 cases (+23); 25,664 negative tests; 40 deaths (no change)
Allegheny County: 6,670 cases (+235); 92,768 negative tests; 209 deaths (+1)
Pennsylvania: 103396 (+631); 981,259 negative tests; 7,063 deaths (+25)
Long-term care living facilities
Fayette County: five facilities; nine cases in residents; six in employees; one death
Greene County: one facility; two cases in residents; one in employees; no deaths
Washington County: eight facilities; 15 cases in residents; seven in employees; two deaths
Westmoreland County: 19 facilities; 158 cases in residents; 50 in employees; 29 deaths
Allegheny County: 62 facilities; 639 cases in residents; 201 in employees; 161 deaths
Pennsylvania: 792 facilities; 18,685 cases in residents; 3,614 in employees; 4,804 deaths
For additional information, visit health.pa.gov.