WEST CHESTER, Pa. - West Chester Mayor Dianne Herrin has declared a state of emergency throughout the borough starting Friday at 6 p.m.The announcement comes after a spike in COVID-19 cases over the past month particularly among young adults between 18 and 22 years old.Mayor Herrin says she hopes the state of emergency will improve West Chester's ability to manage coronavirus transmission in the community.A spokesperson for West Chester released a statement reading in part, "West Chester University considers itself a partner in the West Chester community and takes seriously its responsibility to put actions in place that strongly encourage students to practice social distancing and wear masks to aide in mitigation of COVID-19.