Coronavirus cases are delayed during vacations, exceeding 18,000 across the county | COVID19

The increase in cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Westmoreland County slowed over the long weekend of Christmas holidays. This is because the county recorded less than 220 new cases for three consecutive days.

Still, according to Pennsylvania Health Department statistics, the county totaled more than 18,000, more than 9,000 in December, and the total number of coronavirus deaths increased to 383.

After recording 368 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, December 24, the county declined on holiday weekends, with 215 on Christmas day, 142 on Saturday, and 167 on Sunday.

The new number of cases on Saturday was the lowest daily increase for the county since recording 129 new cases on 30 November.

In Westmoreland County, there have been less than 400 new cases for eight consecutive days and less than 500 new cases in 14 of the last 15 days.

With the addition of new cases from the holiday weekend, Westmoreland County recorded 9,037 new cases in December, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 18,666, based on data from the county’s website.

More than 48.4% of the county’s total cases since the pandemic began came in December, and 74.95% came from the beginning of November.

Eighteen new coronavirus deaths have been reported since December 23, and the county has increased the total number of COVID-19 deaths from 365 to 383, with 184 coronavirus deaths so far in December. Death was reported. By the end of November, a total of 199 people had been reported dead from the coronavirus in Westmoreland County, according to the State Department of Health.

The first coronavirus death in Westmoreland County was reported on April 5, according to the State Department of Health. With a Sunday update, more than 48% of Westmoreland County coronavirus deaths were reported during December.

On December 18, Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office last changed the total number of deaths from the listed coronavirus, increasing it to 260.

Of these deaths, 253 were confirmed by testing and the other 7 were symptom-based estimated cases.

According to the coroner’s office, 36 were the youngest and 109 were the oldest to die of COVID-19 in Westmoreland County.

The total number of COVID-19 deaths by coroners includes individuals who died in Westmoreland County, regardless of the county in which they live.

Throughout the state, as of Sunday’s update, the total number of cases of coronavirus has reached 610,025. This figure includes 551,742 confirmed cases in the state and 58,283 possible cases. Coronavirus kills 15,010 people across Pennsylvania, according to the State Department of Health.

Of the state’s coronavirus deaths, 8,445 are associated with long-term care facilities and are hotspots for the virus throughout the pandemic.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there were 50,970 cases of coronavirus among residents and 9,180 cases among staff at 1,454 care facilities throughout the state.

In Westmoreland County, 45 care facilities had 1,614 positive COVID-19 cases of residents, 186 cases of staff, and 171 coronas at the time of the last update by the State Health Department at noon on Saturday, according to the State Health Department. It accounts for virus death.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients decreased state-wide with the Sunday update compared to last week.

Throughout the state, 5,905 coronavirus cases were hospitalized at the time of the Sunday renewal, down from 6,142 on Wednesday, according to the State Department of Health. Of these patients, 1,145 were in the adult intensive care unit and 747 were on mechanical ventilation.

In Westmoreland County, as of the Sunday update, there were 173 patients admitted with COVID-19, 23 in the adult intensive care unit and 18 in the ventilator, according to the State Department of Health. Of the 100 ventilators available in Westmoreland County, a total of 31 were used by COVID and non-COVID patients at the time of the Sunday update, according to state data.

Twenty-three adult ICU beds were available in Westmoreland County hospitals — 25.6% of all adult ICU beds — 77 medical / surgical beds and 103, according to state figures last updated at noon on Sunday. Aerial isolation bed.

A few years ago, the state established seven Community Healthcare Unions (HCCs) as part of its emergency preparedness plan. Westmoreland County is part of the HCC in southwestern or southwestern Pennsylvania, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Green, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, and Washington. included.

As of the Sunday update, 1,426 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the southwest. Of those patients, 273 were in the adult intensive care unit and 226 were on ventilator. Overall, 488 of the 1,289 ventilators available in the area were in use at the time of the update.

Concerned that the influx of hospitalizations from COVID-19 could diminish staff, Dr. Rachel Levin, Director of Health, Pennsylvania, said on November 23, if the area meets at least two. I ordered the hospital to cut the “selective procedure” in half. The following criteria:

• More than 33% of hospitals in the region expect a shortage next week.
• An increase of more than 50% in the moving average of COVID-19 hospitalizations over the last 48 hours.
• Less than 10% of medical and surgical beds in an area are projected to be available within the next 72 hours.

The Southwest is currently the only HCC in the state, exceeding expected staff shortage standards. At the time of the Saturday update, 34.2% of hospitals in the southwest region predicted a staff shortage.

According to the state’s COVID-19 selective procedure reduction dashboard, in the southwestern region, in the last 48 hours before the last update of the site on Saturday, coronavirus hospitalizations were reduced by 2.1% and medical and surgical beds. 57.1% predicted that the area would be available for patient care within the next 72 hours.