Apr 5, 2021 2 min read

Washington Health System President and CEO Brook Ward is cautioning residents to continue to follow protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19 as some areas in the country are experiencing a surge in cases.

Locally, Ward said, the outpatient positivity rate has increased slightly, and as of Friday WHS experienced its second consecutive day of an increase in inpatient cases.

Ward said the health system will know in about a week or so if the area is experiencing another surge, “but we call all do our part to try and keep this down.”

Pennsylvania saw a 57% jump in its average daily cases last week compared to two weeks ago.

He said people can still make a difference with what they choose to do, and encouraged people to continue to wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid gathering in large groups.

The Centers for Disease Control recently updated its guidelines permitting people who are 100% vaccinated to gather in small groups without masks, or to gather with others who aren’t 100% vaccinated if every individual is at low risk of contracting COVID-19 or having a serious outcome.

But, Ward pointed out, “It’s impossible to look at someone and say they’re high risk or low risk, so the safest thing to do is not to do that.”

Additionally, the pace of vaccinations has continued to increase.

Ward said more than 40,000 people who qualify for Phase 1A have signed up with WHS to receive the vaccine, and the health system has worked its way through the majority of the list and is ready to vaccinate those who are eligible for Phase 1B.

While deaths due to COVID-19 continue to fall, the overall number of cases are on the rise in Pennsylvania. Another 9,276 were diagnosed with the coronavirus over the weekend, pushing the total to more than 1.04 million cases in the state since the first one was reported last March. The state reported also another 47 deaths since Friday.

Over the weekend, Allegheny County added 955 new cases; Fayette reported 97 cases; Greene had 15 additional cases; Washington added 125 cases; and Westmoreland increased its total by 270 cases. Allegheny, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties each reported one new death since Friday, while Greene County reported no deaths over the weekend.

Staff writer Mike Jones contributed to this report.