Aug 18, 2020 2 min read

Washington County recorded three new COVID-19 deaths Tuesday and another 14 new cases of the virus, the state Health Department said.

The new deaths bring the total number of victims to 20 in the county during the pandemic, the department said.

State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine also announced Tuesday that a new cellphone app will be available next month to enhance the work being performed by contact tracers to contain the spread of the virus.

The app, COVID Alert PA, will let users know when they have been within six feet of someone for 15 minutes who tested positive for the disease without identifying the patient, Levine said.

The entire system is anonymous and voluntary, Levine said.

She said the app will be more effective if many people download it to their phones.

Levine said she is worried about more children contracting the virus after schools reopen and if sports are played.

“The idea that children can’t get COVID-19 is incorrect,” she said. “They can get very sick.”

Meanwhile, there were three new cases of the virus announced Tuesday in both Greene and Fayette counties, bringing their totals this year to 129 and 631, respectively.

The state announced 735 new cases of the virus, 45 of which were from Allegheny County.

The state announced 41 new deaths, bringing the statewide death toll from the virus to 7,499.