Coronavirus category, Page 147
Westmoreland sheriff uses antibody tests to screen deputies for coronavirusVideo
Westmoreland County deputy sheriffs won’t have week-long waits to determine if they’ve been infected with the coronavirus. Sheriff James Albert said Tuesday his office secured up to 50 rapid antibody tests that his staff will use as a diagnostic tool to determine the likelihood of exposure to the virus. “As...
Heinz Field Kickoff and Rib Fest canceled
There will be no ribs slathered in barbecue sauce over Labor Day weekend on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. The annual Heinz Field Kickoff and Rib Fest has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Tuesday. The five-day festival had been scheduled to start Sept. 3 and run through Sept....
Ohio Gov. DeWine orders children to wear masks as schools reopen
COLUMBUS — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a health order Tuesday requiring masks for children returning to in-person classes this fall. The governor pleaded with concerned parents and educators across the state to abide by the state’s health orders as K-12 schools begin to open. During his briefing Tuesday, DeWine...
Census Bureau announces date change for in-person counts
Local communities could be left scrambling after the Census Bureau confirmed there will be one less month to collect population counts vital for determining how federal funds are dispersed and the number of representatives each state has in Congress. The final date for collecting the once-a-decade survey is Sept. 30...
U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb: Investigate state health department over coronavirus oversight at Brighton Rehab
U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb on Tuesday renewed his criticism of the Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Beaver County, calling for an additional investigation into how the Pennsylvania Department of Health oversaw the facility during the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter dated Monday to the federal Centers for Medicare &...
‘A Virtual Ice Cream Social’ will bring the cool treat to your computer screenVideo
Here’s the scoop on A Virtual Ice Cream Social. The online ice cream celebration, adapted for the coronavirus pandemic, will feature five area sweet-treat experts performing live demonstrations, sharing recipes and dishing out tips. The event is being held via Zoom at 6 p.m. on Aug. 23. A Virtual Ice...
Pennsylvania reports 23 new covid-19 deaths, 854 new cases
After reporting no new covid-19 deaths in the state Monday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced 23 new deaths Tuesday. The new reported deaths are the highest in a seven-day span. In that time — July 29 through Tuesday — reported deaths were mostly below 20 each day. The state...
Westmoreland County has smallest increase in new covid-19 cases since June
Westmoreland County had less than 10 new covid-19 cases Tuesday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. This is the first time since June 30 that the county had a single-digit case count. The seven new coronavirus cases are all confirmed and bring the county’s case total to 1,464. Westmoreland...
New Allegheny County covid-19 cases top 100 after double-digit stretch
After a three-day stretch of new cases below 100, Allegheny County reported 132 new covid-19 cases Tuesday, according to the health department. Of the new cases, 70 were between ages 19 and 49, 20 of those were age 19-24 and 50 were age 25-49. New coronavirus cases were found from...
‘A line in the sand’: Both sides dig in on virus relief billVideo
WASHINGTON — Negotiators on a huge coronavirus relief bill reported slight progress after talks resumed in the Capitol, with issues like food for the poor and aid to schools struggling to reopen safely assuming a higher profile in the talks. Multiple obstacles remain, including an impasse on extending a $600-per-week...
Walmart to open 9 added covid-19 test sites in Pennsylvania
Retail giant Walmart will open nine additional covid-19 drive-thru testing locations at stores across Pennsylvania this week, most of them in Western Pennsylvania, state health officials announced Monday. But one health expert is concerned those sites will do little to help control the outbreak. “It is an important goal to...
Trump criticizes Dr. Birx for her comments about coronavirus resurgenceVideo
President Donald Trump took aim at the coronavirus task force’s coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, on Monday, slamming her as “pathetic” for raising alarm about coronavirus resurgences sweeping across most parts of the country. In a tweet, Trump suggested Birx is only voicing concern about the new outbreaks because House Speaker...
Outbreak hits Norway cruise ship, could spread along coast
A Norwegian cruise ship line halted all trips and apologized Monday for procedural errors after a coronavirus outbreak on one ship infected at least 5 passengers and 36 crew. Health authorities fear the ship also could have spread the virus to dozens of towns and villages along Norway’s western coast....
500 nonprofits, small businesses seek pandemic grants in Westmoreland County
About 500 applications for Westmoreland County’s coronavirus-relief grants started being evaluated Monday, and the first awards from a pool of $10 million could be approved this week. County commissioners last month announced the first phase of its grant program that uses $31.5 million in federal funds to assist small businesses,...
Pitt researchers involved in clinical trial for covid-19 treatment option
University of Pittsburgh researchers are collaborating with other universities for a clinical trial testing convalescent plasma in the treatment of covid-19. The group, which includes scientists from Michigan Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina and Stanford Medicine, were awarded more than $7 million from the National Heart, Lung and Blood...
Westmoreland County adds 19 new cases to covid-19 list
Westmoreland County saw 19 new coronavirus cases added on Monday, according to a report from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. It is the county’s third straight day new cases have been below 20, the first time that’s happened since June 24-26. No new deaths were announced Monday, leaving the county’s...
For 1st time since March, Pennsylvania reports no new covid-19 deaths
For the first time since March 23, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced no new deaths from covid-19 on Monday. The news is a stark and welcome contrast to the state’s recent numbers, which has seen 560 coronavirus-related deaths since July 1. “Sometimes after weekends, you may see a small...
New reported cases of covid-19 trending lower in Allegheny County
For the third straight day, Allegheny County reported new covid-19 case numbers under 100. The county’s Department of Health announced Monday 68 new cases of covid-19, along with one new report of hospitalization and no new deaths. Not since late June has the county posted a three-day stretch of new...
IUP limits campus access for fall classes
Thousands of students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania who thought they would head back to campus this fall learned Monday that will not be the case. IUP will be offering both in-person and online learning when classes resume Aug. 24. But only incoming freshmen, international students, graduate students and those...
Coronavirus outbreaks on mink farms in Europe studied
MADRID — Coronavirus outbreaks at mink farms in Spain and the Netherlands have scientists digging into how the animals got infected and whether they can spread it to people. In the meantime, authorities have killed more than 1 million minks at breeding farms in both countries as a precaution. The...
Ross nursing home reports 39 new coronavirus cases
A Ross nursing home is reporting a coronavirus outbreak among more than three dozen residents, according to data last updated on the facility’s website Friday. The ManorCare Health Services North Hills location, one of 42 ManorCare facilities in Pennsylvania, is licensed for 200 beds. The facility previously reported fewer than...
Debate begins over who’s first in line for covid-19 vaccine
Who gets to be first in line for a covid-19 vaccine? U.S. health authorities hope by late next month to have some draft guidance on how to ration initial doses, but it’s a vexing decision. “Not everybody’s going to like the answer,” Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes...
Poll shows Pennsylvanians think it’s important to follow covid safety guidelines. But are they actually doing it?
Pennsylvania’s registered voters strongly approve of coronavirus-related safety guidelines suggested by state and federal health authorities, a recent poll shows. According to a Franklin & Marshall College Poll, two in three, or 68%, registered voters believe it is “extremely important” to wear a mask whenever they leave home, and close...
Westmoreland County adds 16 new coronavirus cases
Westmoreland County added 16 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The county’s total grew to 1,438 positive covid-19 cases, which includes 1,400 confirmed cases and 38 probable cases. There were no new deaths added to the county’s toll, so deaths attributed to coronavirus remain...
Pennsylvania reports 654 coronavirus cases, 5 new deaths
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 654 new positive cases of covid-19 and five new deaths on Sunday. The new cases bring the state’s total to 113,590, with all 67 counties having reported cases, and 7,209 deaths. This the fifth day of cases under 1,000 in the state and its...
