Coronavirus category, Page 210
Tampa mayor lightheartedly apologizes to NFL’s Tom Brady
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — When it comes to first impressions, Tampa didn’t exactly give the best of welcomes to one of its newest and most famous residents when NFL superstar Tom Brady was ejected from a downtown park while working out. Mayor Jane Castor tried to make amends by issuing a...
Global death toll from coronavirus surpasses 200,000
ATLANTA — As the global death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 200,000 on Saturday, countries took cautious steps toward easing some lockdowns, while fears of infection made even some pandemic-wounded businesses reluctant to reopen. The states of Georgia, Oklahoma and Alaska started loosening restrictions on businesses despite warnings from experts...
Howlers closes in Bloomfield, date for East Liberty move undetermined
Howlers, an iconic location for live music in Pittsburgh, will not be taking a final bow in Bloomfield after all. Last February, Howlers announced it was moving from its Liberty Avenue location but that it would remain open until the end of August. But in a message to patrons on...
Westmoreland County covid-19 cases jump by 43; nursing homes account for 40% of cases
Westmoreland County added 43 new cases of patients with covid-19 as of Saturday morning, for a 13.5% increase from the previous day, state data show. The county’s total number of confirmed and probable cases has reached 360, up from 317 as of Friday and 307 on Thursday, the state health...
Pennsylvania’s covid-19 cases crest 40K; 60% of deaths in nursing homes, senior living facilities
Pennsylvania’s covid-19 cases crested 40,000 by Saturday morning, with 45 new deaths and 1,200 new cases of the coronavirus disease reported by state health officials. People age 65 and over make up about 26% of all cases, but continue to account for the majority of covid-19 deaths and hospitalizations. More...
Allegheny County reports 2 new deaths from covid-19
The Allegheny County Health Department on Saturday reported two additional covid-19 deaths, bringing the total to 73. Of those deaths, 66 are listed as confirmed cases of covid-19, while seven are considered probable. At least 52 of the county’s covid-19 deaths — more than 70% — have been attributed to...
Cheri Rinehart: Community health centers on covid-19 front lines
Amid all the uncertainty in our nation as we face and fight the covid-19 pandemic, one thing is certain: Community health centers (also known as federally qualified health centers, FQHCs) will continue to care for all regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. The most vulnerable Americans in urban...
Chancellor, top Pitt leaders pledge portion of earnings to university
In a move that could set a standard across colleges facing financial shortfalls in the coronavirus crisis, University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and eight Pitt senior vice chancellors have pledged a portion of their salaries to the university. Their pledges — Gallagher promised to commit 20% of his salary...
Advocates with mask donation turned away from San Diego immigration detention center
SAN DIEGO — Staff at Otay Mesa Detention Center did not allow Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez to donate masks to help protect detainees from the COVID-19 outbreak inside when she showed up at the facility gate on Friday. Gonzalez, whose district includes the detention center, joined with several immigrant rights advocacy...
Polish government gets pushback on postal presidential vote
WARSAW — The Polish government’s determination to move forward with a scheduled presidential election next month by making it an all-postal vote has sparked anxiety and anger amid the coronavirus pandemic, with critics slamming the plan as a threat to the health of both the public and Poland’s democracy. Health...
US states begin easing lockdowns as virus weakens in Asia
SAVANNAH, Ga. — The U.S. states of Georgia, Oklahoma and Alaska began loosening lockdown orders on their pandemic-wounded businesses, even as the confirmed U.S. death toll from the coronavirus soared past 50,000 and despite warnings from health experts that such steps may be coming too early. The news came as...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: The leader we need
Mr. President, people need your help right now. This is not the time for you to remind us how you “cut off” China at the end of January or how “people are surprised” that you understand the medical issues surrounding the pandemic. You are constantly trying to play catch-up, instead...
Mayors want bells to ring out in support of first responders, those working during pandemic
Ronald Echard of New Stanton and Jerry Lucia of Mt. Pleasant are among area mayors who are encouraging participation in a statewide event meant to show support for those on the front lines of the covid-19 pandemic. Echard has proclaimed Sunday, May 3 as Bells Across Pennsylvania Day in New...
Cuomo: ‘I dare you’ to let states declare coronavirus bankruptcy in scathing attack on GOP
NEW YORK — Gov. Andrew Cuomo angrily challenged Republicans to force hard-hit states to declare bankruptcy instead of giving them stimulus aid to cope with the coronavirus crisis. “Pass the law. I dare you,” he said. “You want to send a signal to the markets that this nation is in...
Another employee at Port Authority’s West Mifflin garage tests positive for covid-19
The Port Authority of Allegheny County reports that a tenth employee — the sixth worker at the same bus garage — has tested positive for covid-19. The employee works at the West Mifflin garage, transit agency spokesman Jim Ritchie announced Friday. The employee has been off work and in self-quarantine...
Residents of The Bower Hill at Mt. Lebanon enjoy afternoon balcony partyVideo
The sounds of Neil Diamond filled the air as residents of The Bower Hill at Mt. Lebanon sang, danced and waved flags from their balconies Friday. More than 100 people, spanning the facility’s two buildings, enjoyed the hits “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Coming To America,” and “Sweet Caroline” which were blasted from...
Walter Williams: Benefits vs. costs & covid-19
One of the first lessons in an economics class is everything has a cost. That’s in stark contrast to lessons in the political arena where politicians talk about free stuff. In our personal lives, decision-making involves weighing costs against benefits. Businessmen make the same calculation if they want to stay...
Trump claims sarcasm in comments about injecting disinfectants
WASHINGTON — Don’t inject disinfectants, health officials leapt to warn on Friday, reacting to President Donald Trump’s comment that disinfectants perhaps could be injected or ingested to fight covid-19. His suggestion even prompted the maker of Lysol to warn its product should never be used internally. “As a global leader...
‘Extremely dangerous’: Health officials warn not to ingest disinfectants for any reason, including covid-19
Pennsylvania’s top health official on Friday warned that no one, under any circumstance, should ingest or inject disinfectants of any kind. “I can say that any type of ingesting or injecting a (disinfectant) would be extremely dangerous — extremely dangerous,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said during a media...
Pregnant New Ken woman, convicted of helping cousin after killing cop, released from jail due to covid-19 fears
A New Kensington woman awaiting a potentially long prison sentence was released from custody on Friday to ensure the safety of her unborn child amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Lisa Harrington, 33, was being held without bond after being convicted of felony offenses for helping her cousin evade capture in...
Gov. Wolf: Mental health resources available for pandemic stress, anxiety
Resources are available for people having trouble coping or experiencing a mental health crisis spurred by the coronavirus pandemic and the isolation it has wrought. Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday reiterated a list of resources available. The mitigation efforts to combat the coronavirus are necessary for public health, he said,...
Corporations, foundations pool resources to provide front-line workers with masks
Corporations and foundations across the region are partnering with a Duquesne-based textile company to produce more than 360,000 washable cloth masks for essential workers in nursing homes, medical clinics, grocery stores and other places. Philanthropic and corporate participants have donated more than $750,000 to the Protective Mask Fund that will...
Pennsylvania State Police: coronavirus results in huge drop in crashes, crime
The coronavirus pandemic is taking a bite out of crime and traffic crashes throughout the commonwealth, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Data from state police from before the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in the state early last month was compared to arrest and incident data from last week....
Drs. Terence S. Dermody & Mark Gladwin: Thanks to Pittsburgh for leadership in covid-19 crisis
Terence S. Dermody, M.D., is the Vira I. Heinz Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and physician-in-chief and scientific director at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Mark Gladwin, M.D., is the Jack D. Myers Distinguished Professor and chair of...
Construction sites in Pa. must follow coronavirus safety guidelines when projects resume
Construction crews must wear masks and have hand-washing stations at sites when workers return to work next week, according to guidelines laid out by Gov. Tom Wolf. Wolf shut down most construction projects when he ordered non-life-sustaining businesses closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. As part of a plan to...
