Apr 7, 2020 2 min read

The COVID-19 death toll climbed in Pennsylvania to 240 Monday, up 78 from the previous day, the state health department said.

The number of new statewide coronavirus cases also increased to 14,599, up 1,579 from the previous health department report.

“Now more than ever, as we continue to see COVID-19 cases and deaths rise in Pennsylvania, we need Pennsylvanians to take action,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said Tuesday.

The actions include staying at home unless it’s absolutely necessary, mask wearing and keeping nonessential businesses closed through at least April 30.

“We need all Pennsylvanians to heed these efforts to protect our vulnerable Pennsylvanians, and our health-care workers and frontline responders,” Levine said.

Washington County’s COVID-19 cases rose to 57, up four from the previous report. Greene County had 15 cases, up three from Monday. Westmoreland County saw 20 new cases, taking its total to 177.

Two more people died overnight from COVID-19 in Allegheny County, it’s health department said Tuesday.

The new victims bring the death toll to six in the county that also recorded 47 new coronavirus cases, bringing its total to 689.

“To those who are or have been impacted by COVID-19, our thoughts are with you and, particularly, with those who have lost loved ones,” the department stated today in its daily update of the disease.

Levine said the data released about COVID-19 usually shows a bigger increase on Tuesday because of a “lag time” in reporting to the state over the weekend.

“We are seeing a flattening of the curve in Southwestern Pennsylvania,” Levine said during a 2 p.m. livestream briefing on the disease.

She said the state would need to analyze seven consecutive days of data “to see if that trend continues.”

All of the deaths statewide involved adults, most of whom were age 65 or older.

Meanwhile, 664 of the positive cases in the state involved health-care workers, Levine said.