Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 537 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 73,942

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., June 4, that there are 537 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 73,942. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

There are 5,817 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 75 new deaths. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

Locally in Beaver County we are at 599 cases an increase of 5 cases. 4071 people have tested negative and we remain at 74.

“As Pennsylvania continues to move forward in the process to reopen, we need to remember that the threat from COVID-19 has not gone away,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “As counties move into the yellow and green phases, we must take personal responsibility to protect others. Wearing a mask, continuing to maintain social distancing, and washing your hands frequently are all steps we can take to help protect others, including our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our essential workers and our healthcare system.”

There are 618 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure, which are considered probable cases and not confirmed cases. There are 416,942 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Nearly 1% are ages 0-4;
• Nearly 1% are ages 5-12;
• Nearly 2% are ages 13-18;
• 6% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are ages 25-49;
• 25% are ages 50-64; and
• 28% are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 15,848 resident cases of COVID-19, and 2,740 cases among employees, for a total of 18,588 at 613 distinct facilities in 45 counties. Out of our total deaths, 3,895 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 5,601 of our total cases are in health care workers.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Non-life-sustaining businesses in the red phase are ordered to be closed and schools are closed statewide through the remainder of the academic year. Currently, 57 counties are in the yellow or green phase of reopening. The first 18 counties moved to green on May 29. All remaining red counties are expected to move to yellow by June 5.

Officials: Schools can reopen in-person teaching on July 1
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Elementary and secondary schools inside Pennsylvania’s less restrictive reopening zones are getting the OK to resume teaching in person and other activities at the end of month. The Education Department said school boards in the green and yellow zones under the stoplight-colored reopening system must first adopt health and safety procedures that meet federal and state guidelines. The state’s more than 300 colleges and other post-secondary institutions can restart on Friday if they have a plan to keep students and teachers safe, the agency announced.

Story and photos by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Beaver, Pa.) United States Health and Human Serivces Secretary Alex Azar came to Beaver County Friday May 29, 2020 and met with Heritage Valley officials and the Beaver County Commissioners. He was introduced by Heritage Valley CEO  Norm Mitry. The topic of discussion was the Brighton Rehab and Wellness Center just across Dutch Ridge Road.  The  nursing home is the site where most of the county’s COVID-19  cases  have occurred, and approximately 90% of the coronavirus  deaths have occurred there, according to statistics compiled since mid-March. Azar said that between May 12-14 HHS was on site  and there is a federal investigation  and findings, according to Secretary Azar,  will be released  soon.”He said a series of negative findings  and the tragic loss of many patients is unacceptable.” He said,”We’ll look at the rules and regulations  from CMS .”  He said, “States have to take care with infection control and systems control  at nursing homes seriously .”He said, “We’re focusing on protections  immediately.”He said, “We will certainly demand accountability.  As of Sunday there were 589 Covid-19 cases and 73 deaths in Beaver County.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., June 2, that there are 612 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 72,894. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

There are 5,667 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 100 new deaths. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

Locally in Beaver County we are at 591 cases an increase of one case. 3889 people have tested negative and one new death in the county for a total of we 74.

“As Pennsylvania continues to move forward in the process to reopen, we need to remember that the threat from COVID-19 has not gone away,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “As counties move into the yellow and green phases, we must take personal responsibility to protect others. Wearing a mask, continuing to maintain social distancing, and washing your hands frequently are all steps we can take to help protect others, including our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our essential workers and our healthcare system.”

There are 616 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure, which are considered probable cases and not confirmed cases. There are 399,361 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Nearly 1% are ages 0-4;
• Nearly 1% are ages 5-12;
• Nearly 2% are ages 13-18;
• 6% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are ages 25-49;
• 25% are ages 50-64; and
• 28% are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 15,660 resident cases of COVID-19, and 2,696 cases among employees, for a total of 18,356 at 609 distinct facilities in 44 counties. Out of our total deaths, 3,597 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 5,523 of our total cases are in health care workers.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Non-life-sustaining businesses in the red phase are ordered to be closed and schools are closed statewide through the remainder of the academic year. Currently, 57 counties are in the yellow or green phase of reopening. The first 18 counties moved to green on May 29. All remaining red counties are expected to move to yellow by June 5.

PennDOT Driver License Centers to Resume Driver’s Skills Tests

Customers may reschedule canceled test due to COVID-19 emergency

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that beginning Tuesday, June 2, 2020, driver’s skills test, including motorcycle skills test, will resume at reopened Driver License Centers.

Customers whose driver’s skills tests were canceled due to the COVID-19 emergency will be given priority in rescheduling skills tests by contacting the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services Call Center at 717-412-5300. All other customers will be able to schedule a skills tests in the appointment system beginning June 20, 2020.

Customers who have skills tests scheduled on or after June 2 will be able to obtain a driver’s skills test at all open Driver License Centers that perform skills testing. The skills test has been modified to mitigate potential exposure of PennDOT staff and customers while maintaining the integrity of the testing process.

As part of the enhanced safety measures for non-commercial skills test the following safety protocols will be in place:

• PennDOT staff will remain outside the vehicle during the entire skills test and the test taker and accompanying driver will remain in the vehicle.
• In yellow phase counties, examiner will conduct basic health pre-screening of applicant.  If applicant is displaying any COVID-19 symptoms, test will not be administered. There will be no pre-screening for customers in green counties.
• All customers and accompanying drivers must wear appropriate face masks during testing.
• Examiners will be required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, eye protection during the exam.
• Examiners will utilize iPads during the administration of testing, which will be routinely disinfected using wipes or spray sanitizer.

PennDOT-Authorized Third Party Testers in yellow or green counties are also available for non-commercial testing and adhering to restrictions on work and social interaction set by Governor Tom Wolf and the Department of Health.  They must follow official phased reopening guidance outlined by the Governor’s Office and the Department of Health. For a list of PennDOT Authorized Third Party Vendors, please visit our website at www.dmv.pa.gov.

Customers may continue to complete various transactions and access multiple resources online at www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; and driver license and photo ID duplicates. There are no additional fees for using online services.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.

China delayed releasing coronavirus info, frustrating WHO
By The Associated Press undefined
Throughout January, the World Health Organization publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response to the new coronavirus. It repeatedly thanked the Chinese government for sharing the genetic map of the virus “immediately” and said its work and commitment to transparency were “very impressive, and beyond words.” But behind the scenes, there were significant delays by China and considerable frustration among WHO officials over the lack of outbreak data, The Associated Press has found. China sat on releasing the genetic sequence for more than a week and stalled on sharing critical epidemic details with WHO throughout January.

State Continues Phased Reopening with 16 More Counties Set to Go Green on June 5 

Harrisburg, PA – With more than 80 percent of the state in some phase of reopening, Governor Tom Wolf today announced that 16 additional counties will take another step forward and move to green effective 12:01 a.m., June 5. Counties include Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Lycoming, Mercer, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland.

The first 18 counties moved to green today, including Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango and Warren.

Eight counties moved to yellow today, including Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, and Schuylkill.

Counties that remain in red and are expected to move to yellow by June 5 include Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Northampton, Montgomery, and Philadelphia.

With more than half the state poised to be in the green phase on June 5, the governor this week provided an updated order for counties moving to green to give businesses and residents a clearer picture of what is permitted in that phase of reopening. The order includes these highlights:

• Large gatherings of more than 250 prohibited.
• Restaurants and bars open at 50% occupancy.
• Personal care services (including hair salons and barbershops) open at 50% occupancy and by appointment only.
• Indoor recreation, health and wellness facilities, and personal care services (such as gyms and spas) open at 50% occupancy with appointments strongly encouraged.
• All entertainment (such as casinos, theaters, and shopping malls) open at 50% occupancy.
• Construction activity may return to full capacity with continued implementation of protocols.
• Visitation to prisons and hospitals may resume subject to the discretion of the facility. Visitors who interact with residents and patients must be diligent regarding hygiene. Given the critical importance of limiting COVID-19 exposure in nursing homes, personal care home and long-term care facilities, visitation restrictions will initially remain in place.

Business frequently asked questions were also updated and are available here.

Gov. Wolf also provided more options for counties in the yellow phase by allowing outdoor dining beginning June 5 and providing Summer Camp Guidance for providers, parents and caregivers.

The Summer Camp Guidance includes information on what types of programs for children are permitted during the phased reopening, status of public playgrounds and the operation of community pools, and the status of organized team sports.

The state continues to use risk-based metrics from Carnegie Mellon University, combined with contact tracing and testing capability and a sustained reduction in COVID-19 hospitalizations, to make decisions on county moves. The 50 new cases per 100,000 population continues to be a consideration, but not a sole deciding factor.

To see up-to-date data on case counts and demographics, hospital preparedness and testing, view the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

As more counties and residents enjoy loosened restrictions, the governor stressed the need to balance resuming activities with keeping case counts low and taking personal responsibility by wearing a mask or choosing to stay away from crowds to reduce the likelihood of coming into contact with someone carrying COVID-19.

“If we take the simple steps of wearing a mask, staying home when sick, and implementing social distancing tactics, we can help eliminate the spread of COVID-19 and make a huge contribution to getting our commonwealth back on track,” Gov. Wolf s

….AND NOW IT’S TIME FOR THE ‘BUSINESS MINUTE’ REPORT…BROUGHT YOU BY MINUTEMAN PRESS:

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are off to a weak start on Wall Street as traders worry that the U.S. and China could be headed for another confrontation, this time over the autonomy of the former British colony of Hong Kong. The S&P 500 was down 0.4% in the first hour of trading today, but it’s still headed for its third weekly gain out of the last four. Banks and industrial stocks had the biggest losses in the early going, while technology stocks continued to gain ground. The tech sector has far outpaced the rest of the market over the last year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer spending plunged by a record-shattering 13.6% in April as the viral pandemic shuttered businesses, forced millions of layoffs and sent the economy into a deep recession. Last month’s spending decline was far worse than the revised 6.9% drop in March, which itself had set a record for the steepest one-month fall in records dating to 1959. The figures reinforced evidence that the economy is gripped by the worst downturn in decades, with consumers unable or too anxious to spend much. Even with employers cutting millions of jobs, though, incomes soared 10.5% in April, reflecting billions of dollars in government payments in the form of unemployment aid and stimulus checks.

UNDATED (AP) — Big Lots’ first-quarter sales rose 11%, with same-store sales climbing 10.3%. The discount retailer’s stores have remained open during the pandemic, with many consumers shopping for essentials. While sales are up strongly for the second quarter to date, Big Lots Inc. said today that it anticipates those sales moderating due to factors including rivals reopening stores, the planned cancellation of its July Friends and Family promotion and weakening stimulus-driven demand.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A debate in Congress over whether to extend $600 a week in federally provided benefits to the unemployed is likely to intensify with the number of people receiving the aid now topping 30 million — one in five workers. The money, included in a government relief package enacted in March, is set to expire July 31. Yet with the unemployment rate widely expected to still be in the mid-teens by then, members of both parties will face pressure to compromise on some form of renewed benefits for the jobless. Democrats have proposed keeping the $600-a-week payments through January in a $3 trillion relief package that the House approved this month along party lines.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Twitter has added a warning to one of President Donald Trump’s tweets about protests in Minneapolis. The company says the tweet violated the platform’s rules about glorifying violence. Trump has been at war with Twitter since earlier this week, when it applied fact checks to two of his tweets about mail-in ballots. The third tweet to be flagged is about violent protests over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his neck. Trump tweeted, “Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

Legislature sends bills on virus aid, $25B budget to Wolf
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A no-new-taxes $25.8 billion budget is before Gov. Tom Wolf after winning speedy approval in the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Legislature. Also sent to the Democratic governor Thursday was legislation to distribute about $2.6 billion in federal coronavirus aid. Wolf is expected to sign both. The budget bill carries full-year money for public schools and state-supported universities. But it funds much of the rest of the state’s operating budget lines only through Nov. 30. About half of the $2.6 billion in federal emergency aid will go to counties, nursing homes and other programs for older adults.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 625 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 70,042

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., May 28, that there are 625 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 70,042. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

There are 5,373 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 108 new deaths. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

Locally in Beaver County we are at 579 cases. Increase of 9. 3533 people have tested negative and the county remains at 72 deaths.

“As Pennsylvania continues to move forward in the process to reopen, we need to remember that the threat from COVID-19 has not gone away,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “As counties move into the yellow and green phases, we must take personal responsibility to protect others. Wearing a mask, continuing to maintain social distancing, and washing your hands frequently are all steps we can take to help protect others, including our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our essential workers and our healthcare system.”

There are 595 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure, which are considered probable cases and not confirmed cases. There are 357,804 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Nearly 1% are ages 0-4;
• Nearly 1% are ages 5-12;
• Nearly 2% are ages 13-18;
• 6% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are ages 25-49;
• 25% are ages 50-64; and
• 28% are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 15,158 resident cases of COVID-19, and 2,563 cases among employees, for a total of 17,721 at 600 distinct facilities in 44 counties. Out of our total deaths, 3,501 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 5,279 of our total cases are in health care workers.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Non-life-sustaining businesses in the red phase are ordered to be closed and schools are closed statewide through the remainder of the academic year. Currently, 49 counties are in the yellow phase of reopening. Eight additional counties will move to yellow and 18 to green on May 29. All remaining red counties are expected to move to yellow by June 5.

Statewide – The Wolf Administration has since noon, May 27:

• Provided an update from Pennsylvania State Police on business closure enforcement actions.
• Issued green phase order, guidance on dining and professional sports.
• Highlighted PA businesses rising to meet COVID-19 needs.
• Provided latest CMU metrics report.
   

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.