Coronavirus category, Page 229
North Versailles man hopes to continue Army service through pandemic response
Bill Roland never hesitated when he was called to serve his country, and fighting the coronavirus pandemic is no different. After receiving an email from the VFW asking for retired military medical personnel to join the front lines, the 69-year-old former Army nurse immediately volunteered. “I’ve been medical since 1988,”...
‘You can’t relax’: New York coronavirus deaths up, but hospital trends hopeful
NEW YORK — New York state posted a record-breaking increase in coronavirus deaths for a third consecutive day even as a surge of patients in overwhelmed hospitals slowed, while isolation-weary residents were warned Thursday the crisis was far from over. The number of deaths rose by 799 to more than...
Smithfield temporarily shuts pork plant after 80-plus employees contract coronavirus
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in South Dakota will temporarily close for cleaning after more than 80 employees were confirmed to have the coronavirus, the company announced Thursday. Smithfield Foods plans to suspend operations in a large section of the Sioux Falls plant on Saturday,...
U.K.’s Boris Johnson out of intensive care as condition improves
LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s condition has improved and he has been moved out of intensive care where he was treated for three days with COVID-19, his office said Thursday. In a statement, a spokesman at 10, Downing Street said Johnson “has been moved this evening from intensive...
Trudeau: Canada’s first wave of covid-19 cases won’t end until summer
TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday Canadians will need to stay at home and practice physical distancing for months as the first wave of covid-19 cases in the country won’t end until the summer and Canada won’t return to normal until there is a vaccine — which...
Why a Pittsburgh-area family opted for unproven hydroxychloroquine for sick dad
Bob Schrecengost, a resident at Caring Heights in Kennedy, is one of the 759 Allegheny County residents diagnosed with covid-19. The McKees Rocks native turns 77 on Friday. Schrecengost has dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and has battled two recent non-covid-19 respiratory infections. Those conditions led his daughter, Lisa...
Pennsylvania officials: Enjoy the outdoors, but stay close to home
Try your luck catching a trout, but do it close to home. That was the message Thursday from state officials, who reminded residents that, no matter what outdoor recreation or exercise you choose, keep your distance from others. “People should recreate close to home. There’s a high interest right now...
Answering the Call: Pittsburgh pulmonologist describes caring for patients during coronavirus pandemicVideo
Dr. Tiffany DuMont is a pulmonologist who works in the intensive care unit at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. She has led much of the covid-19 planning for the hospital. In a video interview with the Trib, DuMont described the pressure of her job and how she is taking care...
No ice, big problem: Nothing mimics skating for NHL playersVideo
Taking ice away from NHL players has caused some to resort to desperate measures. New York Islanders captain Anders Lee bought a Peloton. Anaheim defenseman Josh Manson wants a pair of roller blades. League leading scorer Leon Draisaitl of Edmonton stickhandles around his dog. Whatever works. “You’re kind of going...
3 more in Pittsburgh police department test positive for coronavirus
Three more Pittsburgh police employees tested positive for coronavirus, Public Safety officials said Thursday. An instructor in the police academy, an officer in the administrative branch and a police recruit all are at home in self-isolation, according to spokeswoman Cara Cruz. A firearms instructor tested positive earlier this week, prompting...
Point of order: Congress weighs how to govern from afar
WASHINGTON — “Congress” literally means to gather together. But the coronavirus pandemic and election year politics are forcing lawmakers to consider ways of governing from afar, some for the first time in U.S. history. The virus’ continuing spread is raising doubts among lawmakers and aides that the House will reconvene...
16.8M Americans thrown out of work as economic toll rises
NEW YORK — A staggering 16.8 million Americans have been thrown onto the unemployment rolls in just three weeks, underscoring the terrifying speed with which the coronavirus outbreak has brought world economies to their knees. Meanwhile, world leaders and health officials fervently warned that the hard-won gains against the scourge...
Virus-hit Wuhan cautiously revives amid thicket of controls
WUHAN, China — Released from their apartments after a 2 1/2-month quarantine, residents of the city where the coronavirus pandemic began are cautiously returning to shopping and strolling in the streets. But they say they still go out little and keep their children home while waiting for schools to reopen....
Pandemic has set the number of air travelers back decades
The number of Americans getting on airplanes has sunk to a level not seen in more than 60 years as people shelter in their homes to avoid catching or spreading the new coronavirus. The Transportation Security Administration screened 94,931 people on Wednesday, a drop of 96% from a year ago...
Pennsylvania sees nearly 2,000 new coronavirus cases, but ‘curve has changed’
Nearly 2,000 new coronavirus cases were reported in Pennsylvania, state health officials said Thursday, and 29 more people have died. With 1,989 new cases, the running total of covid-19 cases statewide reached 18,228 since the virus was first identified here on March 6. The latest numbers represent about a 12%...
Port Authority reports 3rd bus driver tests positive for coronavirus
A third Port Authority bus driver tested positive for coronavirus, authority officials said Thursday. The driver works out of the West Mifflin garage and has not been to work since March 13, according to spokesman Adam Brandolph. The employee has been in self-quarantine since March 23. Brandolph said that, upon...
U.S. economy unlikely to recover as rapidly as it collapsedVideo
BALTIMORE — President Donald Trump has been telling voters that the U.S. economy will leap back to life “like a rocket,” stronger than ever after its bout with the coronavirus. But there is a reason economics is called the “dismal science.” There are emerging signs that any recovery will fail...
Bar owner pulls down cash from walls to pay workers
For the past 15 years, patrons have contributed dollar bills to decorate the walls and ceiling of The Sand Bar in Tybee Island, Ga. But now, with the coronavirus pandemic having shut down the bar, owner Jennifer Knox knew there was a better use for that cash. CNN reports Knox...
Allegheny County reports 2 more deaths, 39 new coronavirus cases
Two more people in Allegheny County have died from the coronavirus, county health officials said Thursday, bringing the countywide total to 12. The 39 newly reported cases bring the county’s running total to 759 since the first local case was identified on March 14. The number of new cases in...
UPMC launches trials of coronavirus drugs, including hydroxychloroquine
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC on Thursday launched a new, global effort they say could speed up the process for testing covid-19 treatments. “We don’t have the luxury of time,” Dr. Derek Angus, UPMC chair of critical care, said during a news conference. Multiple...
Gov. Wolf closes Pennsylvania schools for rest of academic year
Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday announced that all schools will stay closed for the rest of the academic year. “We must continue our efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus during this national crisis,” Wolf said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision, but closing schools until...
Carnegie Mellon partners with Facebook to gather coronavirus data from residents
Carnegie Mellon University is partnering with Facebook to gather data from U.S. residents who are experiencing symptoms of covid-19. Researchers at the university hope to use the data to forecast the spread of the pandemic and its potential weight on hospital systems. Some Facebook users will soon see a link...
Tornado or virus? Coronavirus pandemic means tough sheltering decisions
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — As each day brings the United States closer to peak severe weather season, Tornado Alley residents are facing a difficult question: Is it better to take on a twister outside a community shelter or to face the possibility of contracting the new coronavirus inside one? So far,...
Fed rolls out $2.3 trillion to stabilize governments, businessesVideo
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve is taking additional steps to provide up to $2.3 trillion in loans to support the economy. The money will target American households and businesses, as well as local governments besieged by the coronavirus outbreak. The Fed said Thursday that it is activating a Main Street...
Feds loosen virus rules to let essential workers return
WASHINGTON — In a first, small step toward reopening the country, the Trump administration issued new guidelines to make it easier for essential workers who have been exposed to covid-19 to get back to work if they do not have symptoms of the coronavirus. Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the...
