Coronavirus category, Page 72
U.S. tops 500,000 coronavirus deaths, matching the toll of 3 warsVideo
The covid-19 death toll in the U.S. topped 500,000 Monday, a staggering number that all but matches the number of Americans killed in World War II, Korea and Vietnam combined. The lives lost, as recorded by Johns Hopkins University, are about equal to the population of Kansas City, Mo., and...
Big factor in covid votes: Would Democrats sink first Biden goal?
WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders have a potent dynamic on their side as Congress preps for its first votes on the party’s $1.9 trillion covid-19 relief bill: Would any Democrat dare cast the vote that scuttles new President Joe Biden’s leadoff initiative? Democrats’ wafer-thin 10-vote House majority leaves little room for...
We might need to keep wearing masks into 2022 to defeat covidVideo
Despite a sharp decline in coronavirus cases and continued success with covid-19 vaccines, it’s looking likely we will still be wearing masks for some time to come. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s coronavirus czar, said it’s possible masks could be needed until 2022. “I want it to keep going down...
People who wear glasses less likely to catch covid, new study suggests
People who wear glasses could be up to three times less likely to get coronavirus, according to a new study conducted in India. The preliminary study suggests that glass-wearers may have the extra protection because they tend to touch their eyes less frequently than most people. “Touching and rubbing of...
U.K. data: Covid-19 vaccines sharply cut hospitalizations
LONDON — Two U.K. studies released Monday showed that covid-19 vaccination programs are contributing to a sharp drop in hospitalizations, boosting hopes that the shots will work as well in the real world as they have in carefully controlled studies. Preliminary results from a study in Scotland found that the...
Pennsylvania’s new covid cases drop to lowest levels in 4 months
The number of new coronavirus cases reported Monday in Pennsylvania by the state’s Department of Health has not been so low since late October. Health officials added 3,427 new cases of covid-19, with 2,583 confirmed through PCR tests and 844 listed as probable. The two-day report brings the number of...
Westmoreland County adds fewest new covid cases since early October
Over the past two days, Westmoreland County added 76 additional cases of covid-19, according to Monday’s report from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. It’s the first time the county has had a two-day new case count in double digits since Oct. 7. Of the new cases, health officials report 48...
Allegheny County posts lowest new covid numbers since early November
In the past two days, Allegheny County added 374 new cases of covid-19. The last time health officials reported such low numbers, it was early November. With the new cases, the county’s total coronavirus count stands at 74,976. Three and a half months ago, when the county reported a two-day...
Scotland vaccinations lead to sharp drop in covid hospitalizations
Scotland’s covid-19 vaccination program has led to a sharp drop in hospitalizations, researchers said Monday, boosting hopes that the shots will work as well in the real world as they have in carefully controlled studies. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine reduced hospital admissions by up to 94% four weeks after people received...
Germany reopens some schools amid fears pandemic may rebound
BERLIN — Elementary students in more than half of Germany’s 16 states returned to school Monday after more than two months at home, the first major relaxation of the country’s pandemic measures since before Christmas. Kindergartens also reopened their doors for preschool children, giving much-anticipated relief to stressed parents trying...
Westmoreland pharmacist ‘absolutely’ wants to play bigger role in doling out covid vaccine
There was no question in Ed Christofano’s mind that he would take more than a thousand doses of coronavirus vaccine when state officials offered them on short notice the weekend before last. “Absolutely,” the Westmoreland County pharmacist said. Within 24 hours, he had the doses — and plenty of waiting...
Pharmacist drives through winter storm to vaccinate homebound Donegal womanVideo
It was 19 degrees, but Ed Christofano had his GMC Acadia in four-wheel drive, climbing the snow-covered roads through the Allegheny Mountains. Also in his car was a cooler, and inside that was precious cargo: three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. “It’s just par for the course,” said Christofano, owner...
U.S. coronavirus death toll approaches milestone of 500,000Video
The U.S. stood Sunday at the brink of a once-unthinkable tally: 500,000 people lost to the coronavirus. A year into the pandemic, the running total of lives lost was about 498,000 — roughly the population of Kansas City, Missouri, and just shy of the size of Atlanta. The figure compiled...
Westmoreland County records 98 covid-19 cases, 3 deaths
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday reported 98 new cases of the coronavirus in Westmoreland County, marking the third time in the past eight days the count has neared triple digits. The county’s total cases are at 26,275, which is an increase of 509 cases from the preceding week’s...
Pennsylvania reports 2,800 more covid cases, 90 deaths
Pennsylvania health officials on Saturday reported 2,818 new coronavirus cases, as hospitalizations and case counts continue to decrease in the Keystone State. The new data bring the total cases to 911,591. That’s a jump of almost 19,300 additional cases from this time last week. Two weeks ago, the increase was...
Allegheny County reports 285 new coronavirus cases, 1 death
Allegheny County on Saturday recorded 285 new coronavirus cases, a relative bump up, as cases had been on the decline in recent weeks. Reports haven’t reached 500 cases in nearly five weeks and the county hasn’t reported any 1,000-case days in the past seven weeks, according to data from the...
Pitt students, volunteers create VaccinatePA to connect residents with vaccination infoVideo
The coronavirus vaccine rollout in Pennsylvania has created frustration for state officials and residents alike, with counties creating online registries to help get constituents the information they need and hospitals struggling to minimize wasted vaccine doses. But a group of University of Pittsburgh students, with the help of a couple...
Vaccine priority rules emerge as potential ‘obstacle’ as people forced to wait their turn
Priority groups were a necessity for starting the vaccine rollout efficiently in Pennsylvania, especially given the fact there aren’t enough doses to go around. But as the rollout progresses, some experts say the guidelines are slowing distribution when strictly followed. “The question is: Is it becoming an obstacle to getting...
Documentary on WQED looks at how pandemic exposed senior care crisis
A crisis in long-term care facilities that came to a breaking point during the pandemic is the topic of a new documentary produced jointly by the Pittsburgh-based Jewish Healthcare Foundation and WQED. “What Covid-19 Exposed in Long-Term Care” will be screened for the first time online Wednesday, Feb. 24 at...
Thousands await 2nd covid vaccine doses as Allegheny County Health Department confronts shortage
Thousands of people expecting to get their second covid-19 vaccine doses as soon as next week learned Friday the Allegheny County Health Department does not have enough supply for most of them. The health department expects to be able to give the second dose of the Moderna vaccine to only...
Pop-up covid testing site to open in Rostraver
The Pennsylvania Department of Health will offer one of its latest drive-thru covid-19 testing sites beginning Sunday in Rostraver. The popup site will be in operation for five days, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, at the Rostraver Ice Garden, Route 51 and Gallitin Road. The free testing...
W.Va. to loosen rules after dip in covid-19 deaths, cases
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has ordered the loosening of pandemic restrictions on businesses after a decline in coronavirus deaths and cases, and he sought the return of all elementary and middle school students to in-person learning. In a flurry of announcements, the governor on Friday said...
Pa. covid hospitalizations, case averages lowest since November
Pennsylvania on Friday reported an additional 2,778 covid-19 cases and 67 deaths, according to the state Department of Health. A total of 908,773 cases and 23,480 deaths have been reported since covid cases were first reported in the state in March. In February, there have been 50,163 cases and 1,819...
Westmoreland County covid case averages are lowest since early November
Covid cases averages in Westmoreland County are the lowest they have been this month — and the lowest overall since early November. On Friday, the seven-day case average was 73 cases reported per day and the seven-day case count was 509 cases, the lowest for both figures since Nov. 7....
Allegheny County sees largest drop in covid hospitalizations this month
Allegheny County on Friday had the largest drop this month in covid hospitalizations. According to data from the state Department of Health, there were 190 covid-19 patients hospitalized in the county on Friday, down from 220 on Thursday. That is the lowest amount of hospitalizations in the county since early...
