Three more county residents have been reported dead from COVID-19.

According to Friday's report by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, those deaths accompanied 40 new confirmed cases attributed to the county.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 8,223 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and 325 have died from the virus.

In the state's report, it was noted that 4,052 of the 9,643 new confirmed cases reported Friday were antigen tests that were on backlog and have finally achieved results.

“These are cases that had their specimens collected over a week ago,” said April Hutcheson, a spokeswoman for the department.

Taking this into consideration, the remaining 5,591 test results continue to show a downward trend in new cases added each day.

The seven-day average for the state has been about 4,870 per day, including Friday's addition of antigen tests, and it is about 4,291 without those backlogged tests.

Both numbers are well below the average from the month of January, which is about 6,414 new confirmed cases per day.

Also Friday, Butler Health System reported the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has remained roughly the same.

Butler Memorial is treating 30 inpatients, which is one less than Wednesday's report. Five of those patients are being treated in the intensive care unit, and the hospital reported one death to the Department of Health on Thursday.

Clarion Hospital has two inpatients, an increase of one, but neither are in the ICU and only one has been confirmed to have the virus.

BHS also announced it will resume vaccinations as supplies last after receiving a shipment Thursday.

“Scheduling will remain open until all available doses are scheduled,” said Melissa Forester, spokeswoman for BHS. “It will then be closed until further vaccine delivery.”

The following numbers on the coronavirus pandemic were compiled from regular news releases from the state Department of Health and Butler Health System.COVID-19 statistics from Friday are:<b>Butler County</b>Confirmed cases: 8,223Probable cases: 4,428Negative tests: 42,838Deaths: 325<b>Butler Memorial Hospital</b>Inpatients: 30Suspected: 0Confirmed: 30ICU: 5Total tests: 37,207Outdoor tests: 15,618Positive tests: 2,486<b>Clarion Hospital</b>Inpatients: 2Suspected: 1Confirmed: 1ICU: 0Total tests: 11,364Outdoor tests: 9,615Positive tests: 1,795<b>Pennsylvania</b>New cases: 9,643Total cases: 834,048New deaths: 159Total deaths: 21,462Recovered: 81%<b>Surrounding Counties</b>Allegheny: 54592 confirmed cases; 334856 negative; and 1,500 deathsArmstrong: 3,625 confirmed cases; 13,705 negative; and 112 deathsBeaver: 9,276 confirmed cases; 9,276 negative; and 318 deathsClarion: 1,620 confirmed cases; 7,072 negative; and 73 deathsLawrence: 4,170 confirmed cases; 16,547 negative; and 164 deathsMercer: 5,995 confirmed cases; 24,747 negative; and 220 deathsVenango: 2,502 confirmed cases; 9,636 negative; and 75 deathsWestmoreland: 17,729 confirmed cases; 80,731 negative; and 594 deaths