October 10, 2021 5:03 am
PENNSYLVANIA — The proportion of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations among vaccinated Pennsylvania residents rose sharply last month, though the shot remained broadly protective, according to new statewide health data released Friday. The latest Department of Health data on so-called “breakthrough” infections shows that between Sept. 5 and Oct. 4, vaccinated people represented just over a quarter — 26% — of more than 135,000 new infections and nearly 5,000 hospital admissions across the state. Death statistics for the last 30 days were not available because of lags in reporting and verification. When the Health Department released its initial set of data on breakthrough cases Sept. 14, just 6% of cases and 5% of hospitalizations since January were among vaccinated residents. State health officials attributed COVID-19’s increased impact on vaccinated people to the rise of the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus, along with waning immunity among some populations that have received the vaccine, among other factors.
October 10, 2021 4:56 am
WASHINGTON COUNTY — We are days away from big local changes in transportation, including the much-anticipated Southern Beltway. On Saturday, The State Turnpike Commission allowed residents to walk, run and even bicycle along the new toll road. The five-mile stretch from South Fayette Way to McDonald/Midway will be open to the public. A lot of people in Washington County are very excited about it since this will make it much easier to get to the airport. “I cant wait for it to open,” said Janet Yenchik of Canonsburg. “It will be great to avoid the parkway to get to the airport.” The Southern Beltway will open Friday Oct. 15, connecting I-79 to the Pittsburgh International Airport. The road project has been in the works since 2013 to help alleviate traffic on the Parkway West. Yenchik, who lives in Canonsburg, said she flies several times a year, so this new major highway will save her a lot of time driving to the airport.
October 9, 2021 5:13 am
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The owner of seven Louisiana nursing homes that evacuated patients to a warehouse where conditions quickly deteriorated said the problems arose when Hurricane Ida took an unexpected turn. Coroners have linked five of the evacuated patients’ deaths to the storm. The state health department cited neglect and failure to report problems among reasons for revoking Bob Dean’s seven nursing home licenses. In his appeal, Dean says there was “no cruelty or indifference” to any resident’s welfare. He says the storm’s unexpected turn interrupted essential services such as portable toilet maintenance. Dean’s appeal letter doesn’t respond to allegations that he lied about a matter being investigated during what the department calls a campaign to derail its work.
October 9, 2021 5:12 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Cruise ships are returning to San Francisco after a 19-month hiatus brought on by the pandemic in what the city’s mayor says is sure to be a boost to its economy. Mayor London Breed announced Friday the Majestic Princess will sail into the port of San Francisco on Monday. It’s the first cruise ship to dock in the San Francisco Bay Area since March 2020, when the Grand Princess captured the world’s attention. The ship was carrying people infected with the coronavirus, and thousands on board were quarantined as it idled off the California coast. The port of San Francisco expects to welcome 21 cruise ships through the remainder of the year.
October 9, 2021 5:10 am
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (AP) – Coast Guard investigators say an underwater Southern California oil pipeline was likely struck by an anchor several months to a year before a leak spilled tens of thousands of gallons of crude. The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday that a large ship may have snagged the pipeline off Huntington Beach, but that incident might not have actually fractured the pipe. Capt. Jason Neubauer said other ships’ anchors may have struck the pipe later. The pipeline was dragged along the sea floor and ultimately ruptured, sending oil into the ocean that came ashore on some of Southern California’s signature beaches.
October 9, 2021 5:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says he will not again help Democrats extend the government’s borrowing authority. His warning raises fresh doubts about how Congress will avert a federal default when a temporary patch expires in December. The Kentucky Republican issued his warning in a letter to President Joe Biden a day after the Senate approved a $480 billion boost in the federal debt limit, enough to last about two months. McConnell was among 11 GOP senators who provided decisive support Thursday for a procedural move that opened the door for subsequent Senate passage of that measure with only Democratic support.
October 9, 2021 5:08 am
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A federal appeals court is temporarily allowing the nation’s toughest abortion law to resume in Texas. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down the order Friday night. It comes just one day after a lower court in Austin sided with the Biden administration and suspended the Texas law known as Senate Bill 8. The law prohibits abortions in Texas once cardiac activity is detected, which is usually around six weeks. That is before some women even know they’re pregnant. The New Orleans-based appeals court granted an emergency order that puts the law back in place for now, pending a review of the state’s appeal.
October 9, 2021 5:05 am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – The death toll continues to surge from the coronavirus pandemic in West Virginia. According to state health data, there were at least 115 new virus deaths reported during the first seven days of October. It follows a September toll of about 600 deaths – more than the four previous months combined. The state is on pace to surpass 4,000 total deaths from the pandemic next week. There are signs in other areas that the surge is slowing down. According to health data, the number of people hospitalized from the virus is at its lowest total in a month.
October 9, 2021 5:04 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – The number of vaccinated state prison system employees has nearly doubled in the two months since Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf mandated vaccines or weekly testing to help contain the coronavirus. It’s a policy prison guards challenged in court, but a state judge last week threw out the case. The Corrections Department said Friday more than 6,700 workers have now been vaccinated. That’s nearly 43% of the total and an increase from about 3,600 in early August. The prison agency says thousands of tests have been performed since the vax-or-test mandate went into effect Sept.
October 8, 2021 3:45 pm
The number of vaccinated state prison system employees has nearly doubled in the two months since Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf mandated vaccines or weekly testing to help contain the coronavirus. It’s a policy prison guards challenged in court, but a state judge last week threw out the case. The Corrections Department said Friday more than 6,700 workers have now been vaccinated. That’s nearly 43% of the total and an increase from about 3,600 in early August. The prison agency says thousands of tests have been performed since the vax-or-test mandate went into effect Sept. 7.
