Coronavirus category, Page 208
Murrysville family prints mask extenders for area medical personnelVideo
Typically, the 3D printer in Jason Cyprowski’s Murrysville home is more of an entertaining curiosity. “My daughters made cookie cutters, and my son’s made some little toys with it,” Cyprowski said. These days, however, it’s getting a much more rigorous workout creating mask extenders for area medical personnel. “After learning...
Community colleges expect an enrollment spike because of pandemic
Community colleges may become a more viable option for students this fall, as the covid-19 pandemic continues to alter various aspects of higher education. In Western Pennsylvania, schools are preparing for a myriad of possibilities but remain uncertain exactly how the pandemic will affect them, said Stuart Blacklaw, provost at...
Pennsylvania officials issue guidance on resuming elective surgeries
Hospitals and surgical centers in Pennsylvania can resume elective procedures that have been halted for weeks by the coronavirus pandemic. State Secretary of Health Rachel Levine said Monday such surgeries and procedures may begin again as long as hospitals still would be ready for a potential surge in covid-19 cases....
Officials: Pennsylvania coronavirus reporting largely lacks mandated race, ethnicity data
Health care systems still aren’t providing crucial race and ethnicity data when reporting coronavirus cases to the Department of Health, leaving a wide swath of some vulnerable populations unaccounted for, officials said Monday. A mandate from Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine says facilities and providers include demographic data along...
Construction projects can begin in Pittsburgh on Friday
Pittsburgh will allow construction projects to begin in the city starting on Friday under protocols established by the state and construction industry, the Mayor’s Office announced Monday. Gov. Tom Wolf last month shuttered most construction projects to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. The governor last week announced that...
Pittsburgh councilwoman says coronavirus has led to more discrimination complaints
Pittsburgh would ban discrimination based on a person’s citizenship or immigration status under legislation City Council is scheduled to introduce on Tuesday. Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, the sponsor, said the Pittsburgh Human Relations Commission has experienced an uptick of discrimination complaints since the coronavirus pandemic began. The complaints contend people have...
5 virtual vacations you can take right now
It is the start of yet another week of staying at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus. We are looking forward to the day we can again hop a plane, train or automobile and explore the world. But until we get the all-clear from officials, you can take...
Virus leads New York to nix Democratic presidential primaryVideo
ALBANY, N.Y. — In an unprecedented move, New York has canceled its Democratic presidential primary that was scheduled for June 23 amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Democratic members of the State’s Board of Elections voted Monday to nix the primary. New York will still hold its congressional and state-level primaries...
Amtrak extends train service for Pittsburgh to Philadelphia until at least May 18
Amtrak has extended the suspension of its passenger rail service between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia until at least May 18 — instead of May 4, as previously reported. With Gov. Tom Wolf’s stay-at-home order extended until May 8, the Pennsylvanian and Keystone trains will not be resumed next week as tentatively...
FNB donates $50K to Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
First National Bank’s parent company, FNB Corp., is donating $50,000 to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank for use in its covid-19 emergency food relief effort. The donation, announced Monday, is part of FNB’s $1 million commitment to support efforts throughout the seven states the Pittsburgh-based bank serves. “Providing food...
Pennsylvania reports fewer than 900 new coronavirus cases, 47 deaths
Dozens of new coronavirus deaths in Pennsylvania have pushed the statewide death toll to nearly 1,600 and hundreds more people tested positive, according to state health officials. The 47 new deaths reported to the Department of Health throughout the day Sunday brought the confirmed total to 1,597. Another 885 people...
Turkey: Over 400 detained for pandemic social media postingsVideo
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey has detained 402 people in the past 42 days for allegedly sharing “false and provocative” social media postings concerning the coronavirus outbreak, officials said Monday. An Interior Ministry statement said officials have inspected more than 6,000 social media accounts and the 402 suspects were among a...
NYC clinics set to start ‘self-swab’ coronavirus testsVideo
New York City-run health clinics will soon take a new tack on coronavirus testing, using a procedure that lets people collect samples themselves at a health care worker’s direction, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. He said the “self-swab” tests would allow for more and easier testing and make it...
Allegheny County reports 6 new coronavirus deaths, 14% of cases in health care workers
The Allegheny County Health Department reported six new deaths and 13 additional cases of the coronavirus Monday. Of the total 79 deaths, 72 are listed as confirmed cases of covid-19, while seven are considered probable. Those deaths come after the county reported zero new deaths Sunday. The new diagnoses bring...
Dr. David Dausey: Coronavirus — now what?
David Dausey, Ph.D., an epidemiologist, is provost and vice president of academic affairs at Duquesne University and a professor in Duquesne’s John G. Rangos School of Health Science. He is also a distinguished service professor of health policy at Carnegie Mellon University. The global pandemic of covid-19 continues to defy...
Sheetz offers free coffee to first responders and health care workers
Sheetz is picking up first responders and health care workers with a free coffee at its locations. The convenience chain announced the free cup is available to those helping in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, including hospital workers, police officers, firefighters and paramedics. “The first responders and medical personnel...
AP-NORC poll: Rising support for mail voting amid pandemicVideo
WASHINGTON — Americans’ support for mail-in voting has jumped amid concerns about the safety of polling places during the coronavirus pandemic, but a wide partisan divide suggests President Donald Trump’s public campaign against vote by mail may be resonating with his Republican backers. A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC...
3 new Westmoreland coronavirus deaths bring toll to 30
Three new deaths in Westmoreland County related to the coronavirus have been reported by Coroner Ken Bacha. All three were women, bringing the death toll to 30, according to statistics updated early Monday. Bacha has said the majority of the county’s deaths are tied to nursing and personal care homes....
With commencements postponed, Class of ’20 becomes Class of Covid-19
This was supposed to be a big weekend — the kick-off of college commencement season that would culminate in graduation ceremonies for about 15,000 students at colleges and universities across the region over the next month. Pitt and Point Park University were poised to lead the way this weekend with...
Food bank to hold drive-up distribution in Duquesne
The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank will hold another drive-up food distribution Monday afternoon at its facility in Duquesne. The distribution will take place from noon to 3 p.m. at 1 N. Linden St. The entrance is at the intersection of South Linden Street and South Duquesne Boulevard. Each vehicle...
Muted and vacant, Las Vegas struggles to survive shutdownVideo
LAS VEGAS — Slot machines are powered down, casinos boarded up and barricaded. Sidewalks are largely deserted and electronic marquees that once flashed neon calls for nightclubs, magic shows and topless revues instead beam somber messages of safety. The famous fountains of the Bellagio casino, where water choreographed to lights...
Pentagon focusing on most vital personnel for virus testingVideo
WASHINGTON — With limited supplies of coronavirus tests available, the Pentagon is focusing first on testing those performing duties deemed most vital to national security. Atop the list are the men and women who operate the nation’s nuclear forces, some counterterrorism forces, and the crew of a soon-to-deploy aircraft carrier....
People flock to California beaches again, bringing hand sanitizer and hopeVideo
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — A chilly breeze and cloudy skies didn’t deter hundreds of families, friends and couples from descending on Huntington Beach early Sunday. Couples lay on beach towels watching dozens of surfers ride the waves, as others played on the beach. A mother kept watch over young boys...
Trump disinfectant remarks led to hundreds of hotline callsVideo
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland’s health department fielded hundreds of calls from residents asking about ingesting disinfectants after President Donald Trump wondered aloud if that could fight covid-19, Gov Larry Hogan said Sunday. The Republican governor spoke about the emergency hotline calls and Trump’s offhand comment during appearances on CBS’ “Face...
Gov. Cuomo outlines ‘Phase 1’ of reopening, to start with upstate New York regions
NEW YORK — Parts of upstate New York could begin “Phase 1” of reopening about the middle of May — provided covid-19 hospitalizations have declined for two straight weeks by then — Gov. Cuomo said Sunday, though he noted the Big Apple will require extra caution. “I don’t want to...
