Allegheny County Reports Double Digits In New Coronavirus Deaths

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Allegheny County Health Department on Wednesday reported 1,074 confirmed and probable new coronavirus cases. There have been 43,007 cases since the outbreak began in March, up from 41,333 on Tuesday.

The county reported 13 new coronavirus deaths. The county death toll now stands at 688, up from 675 on Tuesday.

The 761 confirmed cases came from 2,669 new tests - a positivity rate of 32 percent. For comparison purposes, the latest positivity rate for tests across Pennsylvania is 16 percent, state officials said.

There have been 2,669 hospitalizations during the outbreak, up from 2,580 on Tuesday.

With 14,802 cases in Westmoreland County, 6,878 in Washington County, 6,820 in Butler County and 6,396 in Beaver County, that brings the total number of cases to 77,843 when Allegheny County numbers are included.

According to the state Department of Health, there have been 1,421 deaths in the region from the virus: Six hundred and eighty-eight in Allegheny County, 304 in Westmoreland County, 197 in Beaver County, 132 in Butler County and 100 in Washington County. That's up from 1,381 on Tuesday.

Because of the growing number of coronavirus cases and deaths across Pennsylvania, new mitigation measures went into effect on Saturday. Until Jan. 4, the state is restricting indoor dining and closing gyms, movie theaters and bowling alleys, as well as limiting gatherings and suspending youth sports.