334 newCOVID-19 cases, 1 death reported inMontco

NORRISTOWN » Montgomery County officials reported more than 300 individuals tested positive for COVID-19 and one person died from the virus during the latest seven-day period ending Tuesday.

The 334 newpositive cases, reported between Oct. 7 and Oct. 13 brought the county’s total number of cases to 12,601 since March 7 when the first two cases of the virus were identified in the county. Four of the new cases were individuals who resided in long-term care facilities, officials said.

Thenewpositive individuals included 167 females and 166 males, who ranged in age from 1 to 89 and resided in 51 municipalities. The gender of one of the individuals was unavailable. All 62 county municipalities have reported positive cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began.

“Like many other parts of the Commonwealth, Montgomery County is seeing an increase in confirmed positive COVID-19 cases,” county Commissioners’ Chairwoman Dr. Valerie A. Arkoosh said on Tuesday.

“This increase is partially due tomore individuals being tested, which we continue to encourage, but also serves as a reminder that as the weather gets cooler, we are likely to see increased transmission in our community.

“We must all continue to take common sense steps to reduce the spread of this very contagious virus. Please wear a mask when near non-household contacts, avoid social gatherings, and cooperate if you receive a call from a contact tracer. Working together, we will continue to suppress the spread of COVID-19 inMontgomery County,” Arkoosh added.

Officials also reported one more COVID-19 death over the seven-day period, which brought the county’s death toll to 837 since the pandemic began in March. The individual who died of COVID-19 resided in a longterm care facility, according to officials.