Coronavirus category, Page 112
Halted Brazil trials of Chinese-made vaccine cause surprise
SAO PAULO — Brazil’s health regulator has halted clinical trials of the potential coronavirus vaccine CoronaVac, citing an “adverse, serious event.” The decision posted on Anvisa’s website Monday night elicited immediate surprise from parties involved in producing the vaccine. The potential vaccine is being developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac...
Pitt students react to shifting guidelines, shelter-in-place
As the University of Pittsburgh tightens covid-19 restrictions amid rising infection levels, some students say they aren’t all that surprised. “All of this is unfortunate but not completely unexpected,” said Eric Macadangdang, a senior Pitt student and president of the student government. “But it’s completely necessary.” The university moved its...
U.S. allows 1st emergency use of a covid-19 antibody drugVideo
WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials have allowed emergency use of the first antibody drug to help the immune system fight covid-19, an experimental approach against the virus that has killed more than 238,000 Americans. The Food and Drug Administration on Monday cleared the experimental drug from Eli Lilly for people...
As race intensifies, Pitt remains committed to developing a covid vaccine
While a coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer appears promising and highly effective, the interim analysis released Monday only tells part of the story, said Paul Duprex, director of the Center for Vaccine Research at the University of Pittsburgh, which is working on several vaccine candidates. He said to think of...
Washington Township nursing home sees outbreak of covid-19
A surge in covid-19 cases at a Washington Township nursing home prompted the state’s Regional Response Health Collaborative program to visit the facility over the weekend. Quality Life Services, formerly known as West Haven Manor, recorded about 30 infections involving residents and 10 involving staffers in the past three days,...
Kiski Area High School reports another coronavirus case
A student at Kiski Area High School tested positive for coronavirus, the school district said Friday. The high school will remain open. According to a letter to district families, the Department of Health was contacted and is identifying close contacts of the student. Kiski Area reported at least seven infections...
Westmoreland courtroom closed due to pandemic case
Westmoreland County Court Administrator Amy DeMatt said a coronavirus outbreak hit the county criminal courts. As a result, cases scheduled Monday before one judge were canceled, though other courtrooms continued to operate as scheduled. Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani and his staff were not at the courthouse on Monday....
Reports: Trump adviser named to oversee campaign legal challenges gets coronavirus
An adviser to President Donald Trump who was named to oversee the campaign’s legal challenges contesting the outcome of last week’s election has tested positive for coronovirus, multiple outlets have reported. Bloomberg News first reported the diagnosis of David Bossie, 55, followed by NBC News and CNN. Bossie, president of...
UPMC study: No clear benefit using hydroxychloroquine to treat covid
Hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug pushed by President Trump to treat covid-19, has again shown to be ineffective in treating people hospitalized with covid-19, according to results of a study published Monday. The study “puts to rest any lingering hope that hydroxychloroquine is an effective treatment against covid-19,” said co-author Dr....
Pa. Health Secretary: Fall coronavirus surge likely is not over
Covid-19 continues to surge across Pennsylvania and the United States as a whole, with the percent positivity rate rising along with the case count. The state’s top health officials said Monday the fall resurgence likely isn’t over. “I don’t think we have peaked,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine....
Notre Dame mandates virus testing after football celebration
INDIANAPOLIS — University of Notre Dame students are now subject to mandatory coronavirus testing and face strict penalties if they leave town before getting their test results after thousands of fans stormed the football field and threw parties to celebrate a double-overtime upset over Clemson. The mass of students, players...
Trump’s election night party adds to virus scrutiny as HUD Secretary Ben Carson tests positive for covid
WASHINGTON — It was supposed to be a scene of celebration. Instead, the Trump campaign’s election night watch party in the White House East Room — with few masks and no social distancing — is being eyed as a potential coronavirus super-spreading event and yet another symbol of President Donald...
Pennsylvania adds over 6,300 new covid cases in 2 days
Since Saturday, Pennsylvania has added more than 6,300 new cases of coronavirus, the state’s Department of Health said Monday. On Sunday and Monday, there were 6,311 new cases of covid-19 — 2,909 on Sunday, 3,402 on Monday — making for 22,300 new cases in the past week. Since the beginning...
Westmoreland County adds no new covid deaths for 1st time in nearly a month
Westmoreland County’s 24-day streak of at least one covid-related death has been broken. The county added no new deaths Sunday or Monday, something that has not happened since Oct. 14. In that time span, the county has recorded 54 deaths. The county’s death total stands at 118. Westmoreland saw 199...
Allegheny County adds 530 new covid cases in 2 days
The Allegheny County Health Department announced the area added 530 new cases of coronavirus over the past two days. Of those new cases, 260 were added Sunday, 270 added Monday. The county’s seven-day total of new cases hit a record high 1,596 — a 200% increase since the beginning of...
Utah governor issues statewide mask mandate amid virus surge
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Gary Herbert declared a state of emergency and ordered a statewide mask mandate in an attempt to stem a surge in coronavirus patient hospitalizations that is testing the state’s hospital capacity. Herbert and the Utah Department of Health late Sunday issued executive and public...
Biden cheers vaccine progress but says masks remain a must, names advisory coronavirus board
WILMINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden on Monday cheered news about the promising development of a coronavirus vaccine but cautioned Americans need to be aggressive about mask wearing and social distancing as infections continue to surge around the country. The Democrat’s transition team also unveiled members of Biden’s coronavirus working group...
Pfizer says early data signals its covid-19 vaccine 90% effective
Pfizer says an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing covid-19, indicating the company is on track later this month to file an emergency use application with U.S. regulators. Monday’s announcement doesn’t mean a vaccine is imminent: This interim analysis, from an...
Global coronavirus case total tops 50 million
BOSTON — The coronavirus has hit another sobering milestone: more than 50 million positive cases worldwide since the pandemic began. Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus tracker reported more than 50.2 million covid-19 cases globally as of Sunday. There have been more than 1.2 million deaths from the disease worldwide since the...
Convention centers, museums become classrooms amid pandemic
MISSION, Kan. — In ordinary times, the airy convention center on a 61-acre site in Hesston, Kansas, hosts weddings, corporate retreats and church events. During the pandemic, it has become a schoolhouse for the district’s seventh- and eighth-graders. Megan Kohlman teaches literature and writing inside one of the rooms, separated...
Doctors fear more death as Dakotas experience virus ‘sorrow’
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — With coronavirus cases running rampant in the Dakotas and elected leaders refusing to forcefully intervene, the burden of pushing people to take the virus seriously has increasingly been put on the families of those killed. The ranks of those who know what it means to lose...
Westmoreland County posts 76 new coronavirus cases, 3 deaths
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday reported 76 new cases of coronavirus in Westmoreland County. Of the new covid-19 cases, 50 are confirmed and 26 are probable. Saturday’s addition puts the seven-day average at 72 cases; the county reported 82 cases on Friday. The high of the week was...
Pennsylvania has back-to-back record-high coronavirus cases
Pennsylvania on Saturday reported 4,035 new coronavirus cases — a whopping 651 case jump from the previous record set just the day before. The state also reported 40 new deaths. The total number of covid-19 deaths in Pennsylvania is 9,015. The new data bring the total cases to 227,985. Officials...
Allegheny County reports highest single-day total of coronavirus cases since July
Allegheny County on Saturday recorded 288 new coronavirus cases, one of the highest totals since this summer. The county reported a single-day high of 331 cases July 14; however, it noted that total was because of a backlog of cases. Saturday would be the highest total not counting the numbers...
Pittsburgh’s annual gingerbread house competition goes virtual
You won’t have to leave home to see these houses. The 18th annual City of Pittsburgh Office of Special Events’ annual Gingerbread House Competition and Display returns in an online format. “The City of Pittsburgh is proud to serve as the presenter of this popular holiday tradition, and we’re excited...
