Coronavirus category, Page 188
Skate parks, tennis courts among reopening Pittsburgh facilities
While some summer activities have been canceled or put on hold as the region slowly sheds restrictions put in place because of the coronavirus, Pittsburgh officials announced Friday that several events and facilities will be able to reopen safely. Drive-in movies, organized by the city Special Events office, will start...
Beaver County among 12 more moving to Pennsylvania’s yellow phase
Beaver County is among the dozen counties that Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced Friday will move into the yellow phase of the tiered reopening process next week, a move that will put all of Western Pennsylvania under loosened restrictions. The announcement came a week after Beaver County was left off...
Pennsylvania reports 124 more coronavirus deaths as total case count tops 60,000
State health officials reported more than 100 more coronavirus deaths on Friday as the case total pushed past 60,000. Of the 124 deaths added to the total, 89 came from the Department of Health’s continued work to catch up with reporting by individual counties. The other 35 were reported to...
Pittsburgh cancels Fourth of July fireworks, other summer activities
Pittsburgh’s Fourth of July fireworks are among the summer activities canceled because of the covid-19 pandemic. The annual fireworks display was listed among other large group events that were canceled because the event could not safely comply with social distancing guidelines, a city spokesman said. The event attracts thousands of...
Coronavirus pandemic causes shift in environmental, sustainability efforts
With its economic and health impacts unmistakable, the coronavirus pandemic is revealing environmental tradeoffs as it lingers on. From a spike in hand-sanitizing wipes to paper towels to personal protective equipment (PPE), sustainability has been moved to the back burner. “In the middle of a global health pandemic, you want...
Allegheny County adds 31 coronavirus cases, 2 deaths
Allegheny County reported 31 more covid-19 cases and two deaths Friday, increasing the countywide total of confirmed or probable cases to 1,582 and the death toll to 141. The jump in new cases reflected information reported to the county health department in the past 24 hours and includes testing conducted...
Pittsburgh Park Conservancy facilities remain closed
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy extended the closure of all of its park facilities and restrooms Friday, despite Allegheny County moving to the yellow phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s tiered reopening plan. While the city parks remain open, all public programming and special events have been postponed. “The health and safety...
Leaders warn that coronavirus in care facilities presents wide-reaching public health concern
As coronavirus cases in nursing and personal care homes continue to rise, a growing chorus is calling for those numbers to be recorded separately from the overall number of cases and deaths. Those cries are getting particularly loud in Pennsylvania, where one of the metrics for easing pandemic-related restrictions focuses...
Pittsburgh pediatricians say it’s too early to link Kawasaki-like disease to coronavirus
Parents and doctors around the world have expressed fears over a severe inflammatory syndrome in children that some have tied to the covid-19 pandemic. But doctors in Pittsburgh stress there is not enough information to be alarmed. The condition, called multisystem inflammatory syndrome, is comparable to Kawasaki Syndrome, a rare...
Small businesses in Western Pa. eager to reopen, but not sure how public will respondVideo
Like thousands of other business owners, Kevin Miscik, owner of a Greensburg clothing store, has waited a long time to reopen in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic. “We lost all of Easter and part of the spring buying season and missed the beginning of the summer (buying) season,” said...
State loans survival money to some hard-hit businesses
Jim Murphy said the coronavirus restrictions imposed by the government are killing his business at the Rostraver Ice Garden and Murphy’s Pub off Route 51 in Rostraver. “I’ve lost $100,000 in bookings that’s not ice-related. I can’t open Murphy’s Pub. I’ve lost the home show, lost graduation parties, pro wrestling...
Infections soar as Mexico moves toward restarting economy
MEXICO CITY — As Mexico moves toward a gradual reactivation of its economy Monday, the number of new coronavirus infections grows higher every day, raising fears of a new wave of infections that other countries have seen after loosening restrictions. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is straddling the issue, telling...
Texas sees deadliest covid-19 day so far with 58 deathsVideo
DALLAS — Texas saw its deadliest covid-19 day of the coronavirus pandemic so far, with state officials reporting 58 deaths during a time span between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, according to state tabulations. In Corpus Christi, 63 workers of the 747 employees, contractors and vendors at the STX Beef processing...
Wisconsin governor warns of ‘massive confusion’ after rulingVideo
MADISON — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers warned Thursday of “massive confusion” after the state Supreme Court tossed out the Democrat’s stay-at-home order and Republicans said they may leave it up to local governments to enact their own rules for combating the coronavirus pandemic. The court’s order threw communities into chaos,...
Restaurant owners take issue with covid-19 rules, but aren’t ready to break them
Area restaurant owners have seen their sales slashed while restricted to takeout or delivery service during the covid-19 pandemic. But several say they don’t intend to go beyond guidelines of the governor’s phased plan for restarting the economy, because of the risk of penalties and out of consideration for their...
FDA: Trucks used to store bodies during pandemic can return to food use
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday said refrigerated trucks that preserved the bodies of coronavirus victims during the pandemic may be used for food transport after a thorough cleaning. The FDA has released a handbook on converting the trailers back to their original purpose of hauling food. New...
2 more Kane Glen Hazel residents die of coronavirus; total now at 18
Two more residents have died from the coronavirus at Kane Community Living’s Glen Hazel location, according to information from Allegheny County and Kane officials. Eighteen residents have died at the county-run facility since the outbreak began in late March. Of the 174 residents who live in the Glen Hazel facility,...
Pittsburgh Public Schools uncertain about fall classes, continues tech purchases
Pittsburgh Public Schools officials on Thursday said they remain uncertain as to whether in-person learning will begin in the fall. “Based on our timeline right now, I would say there is an expectation, but we just don’t know,” said Superintendent Anthony Hamlet. “I’d say the greatest challenge right now is...
Akron drops 3 sports as pandemic inflicts financial painVideo
With its athletic budget being stretched and future funding uncertain, Akron dropped three sports Thursday in a cost-cutting move necessitated by the covid-19 pandemic. The Ohio school announced it will discontinue men’s cross-country and golf and women’s tennis at the end of the academic year. Akron plans to reduce financial...
Western Pa. builders sue Gov. Wolf over covid-19 construction guidance
The Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh is suing Gov. Tom Wolf in Commonwealth Court because it said it sees an unfair double standard in construction rules. The move is part of an effort to convince Wolf to revise rules for construction that make it harder to build homes than offices,...
Kenny Chesney postpones Heinz Field concert, 2020 tour
Kenny Chesney’s May 30 concert at Heinz Field will have to wait. The popular country music star officially announced Thursday that his 2020 “Chillaxification Tour” is postponed until next year because of the coronavirus pandemic. “With so many tours needing to move and wanting to make sure we are in...
David Hogg: Civilian Coronavirus Corps fails to solve problem of Wolf’s making
Gov. Tom Wolf is bringing to life the maxim: Never let a good crisis go to waste. As the covid-19 pandemic continues, Wolf wants to roll out a new program that will cripple the state financially and supposedly fix a problem the governor himself is causing. Through his Commonwealth Civilian...
Westmoreland voters in some precincts will see changes for June 2 election
Voters in 20 Westmoreland County precincts will see some temporary changes at the polls during the June 2 primary election. Ten polling places have been combined for the election and 10 others are being moved temporarily because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Four polling places will be moved permanently...
3 more coronavirus cases, no new deaths reported in Westmoreland County
Health officials reported three new coronavirus cases in Westmoreland County on Thursday, a day before the county is set to ease restrictions and open up some shuttered parts of the economy. The new cases bring the county’s running total to 422 since the first positive test on April 5. Thirty-two...
Pennsylvania coronavirus death toll tops 4,000
The coronavirus death toll in Pennsylvania surpassed 4,000 on Thursday, a day before more than a dozen new counties were set to ease restrictions and resume some semblance of everyday life. State health officials reported 275 more covid-19 deaths and 938 newly identified cases of the virus. The Department of...
