Three more municipalities in southern Butler County declared disaster emergencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cranberry Township and Evans City both declared the emergency Thursday, joining neighboring communities including Mars, Seven Fields and Zelienople. Saxonburg also declared state of emergency in a letter to residents from Mayor William Gillespie on Friday.

“This action was taken to provide the municipality with flexibility in the prevention, mitigation, preparedness and any response and recovery to the impact of the virus on the community,” said Dan Cox, director of the Connoquenessing Valley Regional Emergency Management Agency, which represents Connoquenessing and Evans City.

Cox’s comments reflect the same reasoning for taking the action as other municipalities, including Cranberry.

“This will provide the necessary authority for the township to address the impact of COVID-19 and provide for the opportunity for federal and state assistance to reimburse the township cost associated with the declaration,” said Dick Hadley, Cranberry supervisor chairman.

Gillespie’s letter stressed that the declaration does not alter any actions already being taken by Saxonburg regarding the pandemic.

As of noon Friday, there were 75 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Butler County, and two people with the illness have died.