April 10, 2020 4:06 am
South Korea has reported 27 new cases of the coronavirus, marking its ninth consecutive day below 100, as infections continue to wane in the worst-hit city of Daegu. Figures released by South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday brought nationwide totals to 10,450 cases and 208 virus-related deaths. While the country’s caseload has slowed from early March, when it was reporting around 500 new cases per day, KCDC director Jeong Eun-kyeong has raised the possibility of a broader “quiet spread,” pointing to recent transmissions at bars and other leisure facilities that could indicate eased attitudes toward social distancing.
April 10, 2020 4:05 am
With the federal stockpile drained of protective gear, states are turning to each other, private industries and anyone who can donate in a desperate bid to get respirators, gloves and other supplies to doctors, nurses and other front-line workers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Wednesday that the federal cupboard is officially bare at least through this month after it was able to fulfill just a sliver of states’ requests. States already have begun working together, whether its forming regional alliances to create greater purchasing power or sending excess supplies to hot spots.
April 10, 2020 4:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House says hospitals taking money from the $2 trillion stimulus bill will have to agree not to send “surprise” medical bills to patients treated for COVID-19. Surprise bills happen when a patient with health insurance gets treated at an out-of-network emergency room, or when an out-of-network doctor assists with a hospital procedure. They can run to tens of thousands of dollars. The stimulus bill created a $100 billion fund for the health care system. Providers who accept the grants will have to agree not to bill more than patients would have paid in their insurance network.
April 10, 2020 4:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump’s new coronavirus aid request has gotten tied up in congressional politics. Democrats refused to rubber stamp Trump’s proposal for $250 billion more to boost small businesses, demanding modifications along with an additional $250 billion for health care providers and states. Republicans wouldn’t go along. The standoff doesn’t end the pursuit of more rescue funds, but it came as the government reported that 6.6 million more people filed for unemployment benefits last week. This is increasing worries that the economy is sliding toward a severe recession. Democrats and Republicans agree the aid is urgently needed and talks are sure to continue, but it reinforces that Congress and the White House will need to find bipartisan agreement
April 10, 2020 2:49 am
Authorities are investigating an explosion early Thursday morning in Greene County that leveled a home and a business on Water Dam Road. According to reports, firefighters were called out just before five o’clock to Alpha Graphics and Signs in Washington Township. Local firefighters say they were on the scene for more than four hours and the State Police Fire Marshal is investigating, but they don’t believe that the explosion is suspicious. Authorities say the owners, a husband and wife, also lived at the location and were home at the time. The wife is believed to have suffered burns on her arms and was taken to an area hospital. Officials say the building was leveled.
April 10, 2020 2:44 am
The Washington County Chamber of Commerce held a webinar to update local communities on strategies local health systems are taking to combat Covid-19 in the upcoming weeks. Brook Ward, CEO of Washington Health System and Louis J. Panza, CEO of Monongahela Valley Hospital both spoke about their organization’s preparations and the challenges that this pandemic presents. Ward said that his organization is planning for any surge that is being predicted by studying several models predicting infection rates. Both hospitals are dealing with an executive order signed by Governor Tom Wolf on Wednesday that demands hospitals update Harrisburg on equipment and supplies housed in all hospitals across Pennsylvania. This executive order could allow the state to commandeer supplies and move them to other areas deemed more in need of those supplies. Panza states that even though elective surgeries have attacked the finances of his hospital, stopping those surgeries has gone a long way to preserving supplies and equipment that may be needed as early as this weekend or through the month of April. Both CEO’s feel that Washington County has been very lucky in its experience with the Covid-19 virus, but Panza points out that in his experience, citizens have been quite conscious of social distancing and obeying the stay at home order. Both men recognize that the Easter and Passover holidays are here for many people in the area, but they stress that no one host any kind of gathering. Panza pointed to spikes in flu cases that occur annually after Thanksgiving and Christmas as reasons to stay home. Ward and Panza both suggested that everyone stay home during this holiday season because neither one wants to see a spike in Covid-19 cases in the week after Easter.
April 10, 2020 2:42 am
State Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46) conducted a telephone town hall meeting Thursday afternoon. Bartolotta gathered experts throughout the region to discuss issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Terry Wiltrout, Vice President of the Washington Health System summarized testing numbers. WHS tested 927 people, 818 tested negative, 37 positive and the remaining tests are still pending results. Wiltrout stated that 19 offices are currently equipped for telemedicine and 770 cases have been treated this way. Ami Gatts, Director Southwest Corner Workforce Development Board told residents that all personnel are working remotely, but unemployment claims, job placements and classes are still being offered online. When asked about unemployment claims with the new federal programs, both Gatts and Bartolotta indicated that their offices are waiting for further direction from the Federal Government. Leslie Grenfell, Executive Director Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging indicated that all Senior Centers have closed for socialization. Some centers are providing drive by food service. A list of those centers is available by calling the office. Finally, Donald Martin, Executive Director of Intermediate Unit 1 repeated the announcement from Governor Tom Wolf earlier in the day that mandated that all schools remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Martin indicated that students satisfactorily completing the remote learning programs being implemented will be qualified to graduate or advance in grade at the end of the school year.
April 10, 2020 2:31 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania schools will remain shuttered for the rest of the academic year because of the coronavirus pandemic under a new state order. Gov. Tom Wolf’s education secretary signed the closure order Thursday. The decision affects more than 1.7 million students in public and private K-12 schools. It means children will spend the rest of the academic year learning remotely. Wolf had previously closed schools indefinitely. Pennsylvania has seen more than 16,000 confirmed COVID-19 infections and 310 deaths.
April 10, 2020 2:19 am
Presbyterian SeniorCare Network verified today that there is one positive case among residents at Southminster Place, its personal care community on the Washington campus. This follows on the heels of its first positive case network-wide on April 4th, an employee from Southminster Place, who had not been to work since April 1st. The resident who tested positive has resided at Southminster Place for almost two years. “Although we did not have any residents who had exhibited any COVID-19 related symptoms, we decided to err on the side of abundant caution and provide the opportunity for residents that were at Southminster Place to be tested,” said President and CEO Paul Winkler. “While even one positive resident case is one too many, we are grateful that it appears that the exposure has been limited at Southminster Place,” Winkler added. Testing was arranged for 47 Southminster Place residents on Monday, April 6th and results were made available today for 46 residents with one pending. Those results were negative. Testing also came back negative for the eight team members, who through contact tracing had been identified as having sustained exposure to the positive employee.
April 9, 2020 4:47 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) – “Saturday Night Live” will be back on the air this weekend with a show that abides by social distancing rules. NBC says the comedy sketch show will include include a “Weekend Update” news segment and original content from “SNL” cast members. The material will be produced remotely, in compliance with efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Part of the pandemic’s fallout was a shutdown of movie and TV production that included “Saturday Night Live.” Its last original episode aired March 7. It will air at 11:30 p.m. Eastern, but NBC hasn’t yet said how it will handle the show’s trademark guest host and musical guest.
