719 new cases reported Thursday

HARRISBURG — The state Department of Health on Thursday reported 719 new cases of the coronavirus, including 158 in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County.

The statewide total now stands at 92,867. Of the the newly reported cases, 29 were in the Lehigh Valley, with 16 in Lehigh County and 13 in Northampton County.

Neither county has reported more than 20 new cases in a single day in the past week. Their totals are now 4,370 cases in Lehigh and 3,513 in Northampton.

Establishing itself as a hot spot, Allegheny County’s 158 figure marked its 10th straight day of more than 100 new cases, after a long stretch where it had fewer than 100 every day.

The Allegheny surge has occurred as residents patronize eating and drinking establishments and head to out-of-state virus hot spots. Health officials have imposed restrictions on restaurants and bars, shuttered a casino and limited gatherings.

Meanwhile, there were a combined 48 new cases Thursday in four counties that border Allegheny: Butler, Beaver, Washington and Westmoreland.

It was the lowest combined figure for the four counties in nine days — since 32 were reported June 30 — in an area the state has eyed with concern for a potential outbreak following a recent surge in cases.

Health Department spokeswoman April Hutcheson on Thursday said a one-day drop did not constitute a trend.

“We are continuing to watch and communicate with those counties,” she said.

The case numbers reported by the state are mostly confirmed cases — meaning the