Wolf Administration Announces New Resource for Manufacturers to Produce COVID-19-Related Supplie

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Harrisburg, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced the creation of the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Call to Action Portal, which will mobilize manufacturers that are producing COVID-19-related products and supplies or can pivot to producing COVID-19-related supplies.

“As we work to protect public health and safety and create a robust supply chain, we know that there are manufacturers across the commonwealth who are willing and able to help,” said Sec. Davin. “This portal will help facilitate the connections businesses need to get critical COVID-19-related products to market or retrofit their operations to begin production of those products.”

The portal was developed through a joint effort between DCED, the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, the Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, IRC Network, Life Sciences PA, Pennsylvania Life Sciences Greenhouses, and the PA Chamber of Business and Industry.

Last week, Governor Wolf announced the creation of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Critical Medical Supplies Portal to source the most needed supplies for medical providers, emergency responders, and health care professionals. The Pennsylvania Manufacturing Call to Action Portal builds on those efforts to help manufacturers produce COVID-19-related supplies or retool their operations to begin creation of those supplies.

The Pennsylvania Manufacturing Call to Action Portal will help facilitate business connections for expansion of supply chain capacity and manufacturing innovation. The goal is to match manufacturers and distributors to fill specific supply chain needs to meet increasing demands for medical supplies and related products, assist manufacturers that have workforce needs or gaps and aid them in identifying skilled workers, and identify manufacturers that can pivot or innovate to fulfill the demand for medical supplies and related products.

Pennsylvania’s manufacturers, distributors, and other suppliers should visit the portal to report their critical supply chain capabilities, needs, or workforce gaps or innovative opportunities, which will help DCED staff identify opportunities and solutions.

Questions can be directed to RA-DCEDPAMCTAP@pa.gov.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, Pennsylvanians should follow www.governor.pa.gov and www.doh.pa.gov.

Gov. Wolf, Religious Leaders Encourage Alternate Forms of Religious Gatherings

Gov. Wolf, Religious Leaders Encourage Alternate Forms of Religious Gatherings
Stay-at-home order updated to reflect need to limit in-person religious gatherings 

Harrisburg, PA – Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and as significant religious holidays approach in the coming weeks, Governor Tom Wolf and religious leaders from across the commonwealth are encouraging alternative forms of faith gatherings.

Gov. Wolf and Department of Health Sec. Dr. Rachel Levine updated the stay-at-home order guidance to reflect the need for further guidance for religious gatherings.

Updated guidance notes that while nothing in the stay-at-home order should affect the operation of religious institutions, “Religious leaders are encouraged to find alternatives to in-person gatherings and to avoid endangering their congregants. Individuals should not gather in religious buildings or homes for services or celebrations until the stay-at-home order is lifted.”

“I know that we’re nearing several holidays, including major religious holidays like Easter and Passover,” Gov. Wolf said. “I am encouraging religious leaders hosting a holiday celebration to consider an alternative that does not bring people together in-person.

“As a person of faith, I understand how important it is to worship, and that congregating, whether for a service or seder dinner, can be at the very core of one’s faith. But I also understand how important it is to help neighbors, and the best way to help our neighbors right now is not by congregating. It’s by staying at home.”

Pennsylvania religious leaders joined Wolf in urging fellow leaders to embrace alternate forms of worship.

“Christians the world over are preparing to enter the holiest week of the year,” said Most Rev. Nelson J. Pérez, Archbishop of Philadelphia. “This year, Holy Week comes at a time when the coronavirus has abruptly altered our lives. For the common good, and for the preservation of each other’s health, it is essential for all Pennsylvanians to heed the governor’s call not to gather in large groups. We must embrace our common responsibility to one another and slow the spread of this virus. We are blessed with the gifts of technology and social media, which enable us to experience the richness of these Holy Days virtually.”

“As we come into this season of renewal and celebration of new life where Christians typically come together in greater numbers than usual, we grieve that the COVID-19 crisis is preventing our ability to do so physically,” said Rev. Sandra L. Strauss, Director of Advocacy & Ecumenical Outreach, Pennsylvania Council of Churches. “The most loving thing we can do for our neighbors is to keep them safe, so we continue to encourage our congregations to explore and engage in creative ways of gathering and sharing, such as live streaming, Zoom, and connecting via social media.”

“In more than 2000 years the church has faced and survived many adversities, including two world wars, The Spanish Flu and The Great Plague,” said Pastor Franky Rodriguez, CDA Community Church, Philadelphia. “The church is not going to go away because we the people of God are the church! In times of trouble the Church gets closer, not further apart. This is not a physical closeness, it’s a spiritual one. Although we will not be in the same physical location, we have the technology to share the word of God. This Easter the Church is still united like every other Easter, with thanksgiving, prayer and supplication for the inhabitants of the world. So, let’s be responsible and be together, apart.”

“This is an excellent time for all of us to remember that the church is not a building, but the people who make up the congregation,” said Senior Pastor Mark Kelly Tyler, Ph.D., Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Philadelphia. “We must do everything within our power to save the lives of those we’ve been called to shepherd. If that means livestreaming the worship services and holding Bible Study in video chat rooms, so be it. I fully support Governor Wolf’s effort to keep Pennsylvanians safe and Mother Bethel AME Church is joining in the fight to slow the spread and flatten the curve.”

“At our Passover seders this year, there will be many answers to the age-old question, ‘Why is this night different from all other nights?,’” said Rabbi Jeffrey Astrakhan, Temple Beth Israel in York. “Under no circumstance is gathering at the home of another the right thing to do this year. Stay home. Use online meeting technology and remember, as the Passover Haggadah teaches us, ‘Next year, may all be free!’”

“Judaism teaches us the highest value is to save a life, not only our own but how our behavior impacts others’ lives, their freedom and their health,” said Rabbi Aaron Bisno at Rodef Shalom in Pittsburgh. “It is in everyone’s best interests to practice social distancing, so we are finding new ways to gather, support and celebrate one another.  We have an obligation, a religious mandate, to recognize the responsibility we have to the wider community. Our preference to be together does not override our responsibility to stay apart until the threat has passed.”

“Paradoxically, the most difficult aspect of social distancing for the Jewish community is simultaneously why it’s so important,” said Rabbi Daniel Swartz, leader of Temple Hesed in Scranton. “Judaism is practiced communally because we are all responsible to keep each other safe and healthy. Indeed, we’re commanded to violate the Sabbath in order to save even a single life. How much more so must we practice social distancing, even in our worship, when doing so protects not only our own life, but lives throughout the community.  For me, believing in one God means we’re all in this together.”

“During times of bad weather, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) used to order the muezzin (person who calls to prayer) to change the call from ‘come to prayer’ to ‘pray in your home,’” said Imam Idris Abdul-Zahir, Resident Imam of Masjidullah. “This was because the Prophet was concerned of the harm his followers could encounter traveling to the masjid for prayer under potentially dangerous conditions. During this time, I encourage every religious leader to consider this unseen harm, the Covid-19 virus, in their locale and recommend actions that will keep their congregations out of harm’s way. For it is written in the Quran that the saving of one life is as if you’ve saved all humanity.”

Pennsylvania has more than 10,000 cases and 136 deaths since the first case was announced on March 6. Gov. Wolf has put in place measured, thoughtful mitigation efforts to save lives and stop the spread, include a statewide stay-at-home order.

“I know that Pennsylvanians are strong, resilient and care about their families, friends, neighbors and community, including their religious communities,” Gov. Wolf said. “We must all continue to do our part to stop the spread of this deadly virus.”

You can access Gov. Wolf’s remarks about religious gatherings and other recent mitigation efforts here or on Facebook here.

View the updated stay-at-home order guidance as a PDF here or on Scribd.

Palm Sunday Church Service Conducted with “Drive In” Style.

Photos and story by Mark Peterson.

(New Galilee, PA) They say necessity is the mother of invention and that was proven on Sunday in New Galilee.  With strict orders to avoid large public gatherings already in force due to the Covid-19 virus, Pastor Andy Russell from the New Galilee Church of The Nazarene began to get creative.  Russell didn’t want to skip the Palm Sunday service.   More importantly, he also wanted to preach a message, and have it feel like his congregation was gathering together,  but how? Then, like a blast from the past when parents put their kids in sleeping bags and loaded up the station wagon with snacks for a late night double feature at the drive in, Pastor Russell got his inspiration.  If people stayed in their cars, they would likely be more than the government suggested six feet apart, and not compromise their own safety amidst the struggles to thwart the Corona Virus.  In no time, arrangements had been made to broadcast Sunday’s sermon over 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA and 99.3 F.M. and church members were invited to pull into the church parking lots, as well as an adjacent lot along Washington Avenue in New Galilee and tune in.  Just like the drive in, when the sound came through a speaker in the car, everyone could easily hear the service broadcast through the radio, and visually catch the “action” while gazing through the windshield. Though in this circumstance, it wasn’t a large white screen adorned with footage of movie stars they were watching, but rather a popular home grown pastor preaching from a small hillside near the church building.

The parking lots at New Galilee Church of The Nazarene were packed with cars full of people tuned in to the church service broadcast on Beaver County Radio on Sunday April 5, 2020.

By all accounts, the event was a huge success.  Careful preparation was done ahead of time to ensure all the technical aspects of doing an on site live broadcast were taken care of and extra speakers were set up in the makeshift outdoor sanctuary as well.  Troy Miller played the guitar and sang a few worship and praise songs before and afterwards that, at times, had cars in the parking lots honking their horns with affirmation, which in this case would be akin to applause.  At one point in time during Andy Russell’s message, a couple of  firecrackers were set off at a neighborhood house.  Given the timing of the blasts during Russell’s stirring oratory,  the enthusiasm exhibited by local New Galilee residents over their special church service and the positive reception of the event in general, one can easily conclude that those were nothing more than protocol for an outdoor drive in church congregation “Amen” response.

Things went so well, as a matter of fact, that this drive in is turning into a double feature.  Almost immediately following Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Russell began receiving texts and well wishes from many people who had listened to the radio broadcast locally in Beaver County, and from from others who live farther away and had listened to the Beaver County Radio live online audio stream.  Buoyed by the positive support, and the fact that he seemed like a man on a mission, Russell finalized arrangements to host this coming week’s Easter service at the New Galilee Church of the Nazarene in the same fashion. Broadcast and service time will again be from 1 to 2 P.M.

Pastor Andy Russell from the New Galilee Church of The Nazarene.

The New Galilee Church Of The Nazarene is located at 505 Washington Avenue in New Galilee.  For more information, call the church at (724) 200-0132.

Tiger at NYC’s Bronx Zoo tests positive for coronavirus

Tiger at NYC’s Bronx Zoo tests positive for coronavirus
By JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for the new coronavirus. It’s believed to be the first infection in an animal in the U.S. and the first known in a tiger anywhere. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Sunday that the 4-year-old Malayan tiger, and six other tigers and lions that have also fallen ill, are believed to have been infected by a zoo employee. The zoo says all the animals are expected to recover.

Surgeon general warns US of `saddest week’ and `9/11 moment’

Surgeon general warns US of `saddest week’ and `9/11 moment’
By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Surgeon General Jerome Adams is offering some of the starkest warnings yet as he braces Americans for the worsening fallout from the new coronavirus. He says in a television interview Sunday that “this is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives, quite frankly.” The number of people infected in the U.S. has exceeded 300,000, with the death toll climbing past 8,400. Adams tells “Fox News Sunday” that “this is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it’s not going to be localized.”

Police: Charges planned against 2 in Western Pa. coughing incidents

Police: Charges planned against 2 in coughing incidents
GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) — State police in western Pennsylvania say charges are planned against two people accused in separate incidents of purposely coughing on others. Police in Westmoreland County allege that a 48-year-old North Huntingdon woman became upset at a drive-thru window in Hempfield and “began purposely coughing” at a worker, saying “I hope you get COVID-19 and die.” At a doctor’s office in Latrobe, police allege that a 53-year-old Cherry Tree man purposely coughed on two staff members. Police say charges including disorderly conduct, reckless endangerment and simple assault charges are planned against the suspects.

The Latest: Fauci: Coronavirus could become seasonal

The Latest: Fauci: Coronavirus could become seasonal
The Associated Press undefined
The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
TOP OF THE HOUR:
— Fauci: Very good chance coronavirus “will assume a seasonal nature.”
— Trudeau confident Canada will still be able to import N95 masks
— Scottish chief medical officer apologizes for ignoring her own policy
— Morocco orders release of more than 5,000 prisoners.
— Czech Republic agrees to take coronavirus patients from France.
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WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci says there a very good chance the new coronavirus “will assume a seasonal nature” because it is unlikely to be under control globally.
Fauci is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He says the virus is unlikely to be completely eradicated from the planet this year. That means the U.S. could see the “beginning of a resurgence” during the next flu season.
Fauci says the prospect of a resurgence is the reason the U.S. is working so hard to get its preparedness “better than it was.” He says that includes working to develop a vaccine and conducting clinical trials on therapeutic interventions.
Fauci also says states that don’t have stay-at-home orders are not putting the rest of the country at risk as much as they are putting themselves at risk.
Fauci spoke on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
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TORONTO — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s confident Canada will still be able to import N95 protective masks form the U.S. despite an export ban. He plans to speak to U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming days.
Trump has said he will block exports of the masks from the United States to ensure they are available in the U.S. for use during the coronavirus pandemic.
Trudeau notes Canada supplies the U.S. with many supplies including pulp for surgical-grade N95 masks, test kits and gloves. Canadian nurses also work in the U.S.
Trudeau says it would be harmful to both nations if the flow of those goods and services stopped.
Manufacturing giant 3M say there are significant humanitarian implications in not sending N95 masks to health care workers in Canada and Latin America, where 3M is a critical supplier of respirators.
Trump has said the U.S. wants the masks and he doesn’t want others getting them. But has also said 3M can sell to other countries but the company needs to take care of the U.S.
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ATHENS, Greece — Authorities in Greece have announced five fatalities from the new coronavirus over the past 24 hours. That brings the total to 73 fatalities, of which 52 were men.
The average age of the victims is 74.
There were 62 new confirmed cases to raise the total confirmed cases in Greece to 1,735. More than 50% of the infected are men.
There are 93 people in intensive care units. Greek authorities say they have administered 25,453 tests for the virus.
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LONDON — The chief medical officer for Scotland has apologized for ignoring her own policy and visiting her second home despite government advice to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Photos of Dr. Catherine Calderwood appeared in The Scottish Sun on Saturday. Police gave her a warning and she is facing calls to resign.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says that while she doesn’t condone Calderwood’s behavior, it would be “damaging not to have the ongoing advice and expertise” of Calderwood as chief medical officer.
Sturgeon says she did not know about Calderwood’s visits to her second home, which is an hour from Edinburgh.
Sturgeon says “all of us, including me, will make mistakes in these unprecedented times we are living in. When we do we must be candid about it and learn from it.”
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RABAT — Morocco’s Ministry of Justice has said King Mohammed VI ordered the release of 5,654 prisoners across the North African country’s prisons in an effort to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The prisoners were all deemed to be low-risk and granted the royal pardon. They were selected on the basis of age, health condition, the length of detention, as well as good conduct.
No cases of the new coronavirus have been identified in Moroccan prisons so far. The Ministry of Justice announced Sunday that the king also ordered the strengthening of the protection of detainees in prisons, particularly against the spread of the coronavirus epidemic.
Morocco has so far recorded 961 infections and 69 deaths from COVID-19.
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PRAGUE — The Czech Republic has agreed to take coronavirus patients from France to help the country badly hit by the pandemic.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis says six French patients will be transported to the University Hospital in the second largest Czech city of Brno.
Babis says France asked his country to take care of the patients and “because we have the capacity available we agreed.” Babis has offered more beds for French patients.
The French embassy in Prague thanked the Czechs who previously sent some medical protective gear to Italy, Spain and Slovenia.
The Czech Republic has 4,543 people infected with the coronavirus and 67 have died.
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WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Joe Biden says the Democratic National Convention that has already been delayed until August may need to be held virtually.
Biden said on ABC’s “This Week” it may not be possible to put tens of thousands of people in one place.
Biden has a commanding lead in delegates and needs to clinch his party’s presidential nomination as the coronavirus’ spread continues to reshape the race for the White House.
Biden says he plans to wear a mask in public. That conforms with federal guidelines that Americans use face coverings in public places. But it contradicts President Donald Trump, who says he’s choosing not do that.
“He may not like how he looks in a mask, but the truth of the matter is that follow the science,” Biden said. “That’s what they’re telling us.”
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CAIRO — Former Libyan Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril died in the Egyptian capital of Cairo from COVID-19. The announcement was made on his official Facebook on Sunday. He was 67.
Jibril tested positive for the new coronavirus late in March.
Egypt’s state-run media also reported his death. Jibril was a senior Gadhafi economic adviser and protege to Seif al-Islam, son and presumed heir to Libya’s longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi.
He broke with Gadhafi’s regime in the early days of the 2011 NATO-backed rebellion that toppled and later killed Gadhafi. He quickly managed to reinvent himself as a rebel leader through his international ties, which included fluent English from his advanced degrees at the University of Pittsburgh. He also had backing from his powerful Warfalla tribe.
Jibril had established a secular-leaning allegiance, the National Forces Alliance, in 2012 in efforts to hold off Islamist rivals after the overthrow and killing of Gadhafi in 2011.
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WASHINGTON — Surgeon General Jerome Adams is bracing Americans for what he says is going to be “the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives” because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Adams tells “Fox News Sunday” that “this is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment.”
He wants to make clear that “it’s going to be happening all over the country. And I want America to understand that.”
Adams also has a message to governors who haven’t yet imposed shelter-in-place orders in their states. He says the handful of states in that category are states where a large amount of food is produced for the country, and that’s been part of the struggle when it comes to stay-at-home restrictions.
But Adams has a message for those governors: “If you can’t give us a month, give us what you can. Give us a week. Give us whatever you can to stay at home during this particularly tough time when we’re going to be hitting our peak over the next seven to 10 days.”
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ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s state-owned airline has quarantined the crew of a Pakistan International Airlines flight upon its return to the southern Arabian Port city of Karachi from London. The crew is being tested for the new coronavirus.
The flight returned empty to Karachi after returning Britons stranded in Pakistan. All flights from Karachi have been temporarily suspended until the test results are returned and the crew is cleared.
Pakistan has 2,899 confirmed cases of COVID 19 and 45 deaths. Another 170 patients have recovered.
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MADRID — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has published an editorial in several European newspapers to press for his proposed “new Marshall Plan” for Europe to act together in sharing the burden of the coronavirus crisis.
Sánchez wrote Sunday that European Union members must do all they can to help their hardest hit partners recover from the financial and economic impacts of the pandemic. If not, he said “we will fail as a union.”
The Spanish Socialist leader said that he approves of the measures already taken, which include an EU jobs plan and the European Central Bank mobilizing lines of credit. But he says that’s not enough.
Spain, Italy and France have had over 34,000 combined deaths from the virus and other countries want the EU to issue joint European debt to spread the costs. Germany and the Netherlands have rejected that.
“Europe must build a wartime economy and promote European resistance, reconstruction and recovery,” Sánchez wrote. He said the world is at a critical juncture at which “even the most fervently pro-European countries and governments” need proof of commitment.
He wrote: “We need unwavering solidarity.”
In a separate editorial in Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also threw her weight behind the idea of a “Marshall Plan for Europe.” She wrote the crisis was an opportunity to renew the feeling of community among European nations.
The former German defense minister wrote that today’s leaders had a responsiblity to make “smart and sustainable” investments now to ensure the stability for the future.
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ROME — Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte is expressing great sorrow for the death of one of his bodyguards.
Conte posted on Facebook that Giorgio Guastamacchia died Saturday. The 51-year-old contracted the new coronavirus last month.
The premier recalled the bodyguard’s “professional dedication” and his ready smiles. Also paying tribute to Guastamacchia were Italy’s previous two premiers. Matteo Renzi and Paolo Gentiloni also used Guastamacchia among their bodyguards while in office.
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MOSCOW — The spokesman for Vladimir Putin says the Russian president will continue working remotely for at least another week amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Dmitry Peskov said on state television Putin and people who work with him are being tested regularly.
Russia’s coronavirus task force says the number of infections in the country was 5,389, which is up almost 700 than the previous day. There have been 45 deaths recorded.
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ROME — Rome’s main hospital for treating COVID-19 infections says more patients were discharged than admitted for the first time since Italy’s outbreak began.
Spallanzani Hospital’s daily bulletin on coronavirus cases was another positive sign that Italy’s rigid lockdown measures have apparently slowed the contagion. The lockdown has been four weeks now.
Health authorities in Lombardy said last week overwhelmed hospitals were starting to feel some relief. The northern region has more than half of Italy’s 15,000 deaths.
Spallanzani had treated the first known COVID-19 cases in Italy, which was a vacationing Chinese couple who fell sick in late January. They were discharged last month.
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PARIS — An Airbus plane has traveled from China to France and returned with a cargo of 4 million face masks.
The European multinational said in a statement that the flight landing in France on Sunday morning was its third such mission between China and France.
Airbus says it is continuing “to purchase and supply millions of face masks from China.”
It added the large majority of the masks will be donated to governments of the Airbus home countries, which are predominately France, Germany, Spain and the U.K.
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Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

Gov. Wolf: Health Sec. Signs Order Providing Building Safety Measures to Combat COVID-19

Harrisburg, PA – Under her authority as Secretary of the Department of Health to take any disease control measure appropriate to protect the public from the spread of infectious disease, Dr. Rachel Levine today signed an order providing direction for maintaining and cleaning buildings for businesses authorized to maintain in-person operations under her and the governor’s life-sustaining business orders announced March 19.

According to the Building Safety Measures order, “Cleaning, disinfecting, and other maintenance and security services performed by building service employees are critical to protecting the public health by reducing COVID-19 infections in the commonwealth.”

“Based upon the manner of COVID-19’s spread in the commonwealth and in the world, and its danger to Pennsylvanians, I have determined that the appropriate disease control measure is the direction of building safety measures as outlined in this order to prevent and control the spread of disease,” Dr. Levine wrote.

The measures outlined in the order are for owners of buildings of at least 50,000 square feet used for commercial, industrial or other enterprises, including but not limited to facilities for warehousing, manufacturing, commercial offices, airports, grocery stores, universities, colleges, government, hotels, and residential buildings with at least 50 units.

In addition to maintaining pre-existing cleaning protocols, the order outlines these new protocols:

  • Clean and disinfect high-touch areas routinely in accordance with CDC guidelines, in spaces that are accessible to customers, tenants, or other individuals.
  • Maintain pre-existing cleaning protocols established in the facility for all other areas of the building.
  • Ensure that the facility has a sufficient number of employees to perform the above protocols effectively and in a manner that ensures the safety of occupants and employees.
  • Ensure that the facility has a sufficient number of security employees to control access, maintain order, and enforce social distancing of at least 6 feet, provided the security employees are otherwise responsible for such enforcement.

The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m., April 6.

Pa Department of Health Releases Updated COVID-19 Numbers, Including Beaver County for Sunday 4/5/20.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 1,493 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 11,510

Harrisburg, PA-The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 5, that there are 1,493 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 11,510 in 65 counties. The department also reported14 new deaths among positive cases, bringing the statewide total to 150. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here. All people are either in isolation at home or being treated at the hospital.

In Beaver County we are up to 84 positive cases of the Corona Virus COVID-19. There have no increases in deaths. The Department is reporting that Beaver County remains a 6 Deaths total after reporting 4 additional yesterday.

“The continued rise in cases combined with our increasing deaths from COVID-19 reflects the seriousness of this situation,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We need everyone to listen to the orders in place and to stay calm, stay home and stay safe. We know that these prolonged mitigation effects have been difficult for everyone, but it is essential that everyone follows these orders and does not go out unless they absolutely must.”

There are 66,261 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 aged 0-4;
    • Nearly 1% are aged 5-12;
    • 1% are aged 13-18;
    • Nearly 8% are aged 19-24;
    • 42% are aged 25-49;
    • Nearly 29% are aged 50-64; and
    • Nearly 20% are aged 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are aged 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. There have been no pediatric deaths to date. More data is available here.

All non-life-sustaining businesses are ordered to be closed and schools are closed statewide indefinitely. Currently the entire state is under a stay-at-home order.

County by county case numbers and deaths are displayed below:

County Case Counts to Date

County Number of Cases Deaths 
Adams 22
Allegheny 605 4
Armstrong 12
Beaver 84 6
Bedford 4
Berks 276 3
Blair 5
Bradford 10
Bucks 555 13
Butler 87 2
Cambria 7
Cameron 1
Carbon 50 1
Centre 43
Chester 269 2
Clarion 5
Clearfield 7
Clinton 1
Columbia 22
Crawford 7
Cumberland 58 2
Dauphin 118 1
Delaware 708 14
Erie 19
Fayette 27 1
Forest 3
Franklin 30
Fulton 1
Greene 12
Huntingdon 4
Indiana 13
Juniata 7
Lackawanna 172 6
Lancaster 371 8
Lawrence 23 2
Lebanon 106
Lehigh 877 8
Luzerne 741 5
Lycoming 9
McKean 1
Mercer 18
Mifflin 9
Monroe 528 11
Montgomery 1111 18
Montour 37
Northampton 636 11
Northumberland 14
Perry 5 1
Philadelphia 3135 28
Pike 114 1
Potter 3
Schuylkill 90
Snyder 8 1
Somerset 4
Sullivan 1
Susquehanna 6
Tioga 3
Union 6
Venango 3
Warren 1
Washington 50
Wayne 33
Westmoreland 147
Wyoming 5
York 171 1

Number of PA coronavirus cases tops 10,000; 136 deaths, Beaver County up to 6 deaths.

Number of PA coronavirus cases tops 10,000; 136 deaths
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Department of Health says the number of coronavirus cases in the commonwealth has topped 10,000 with another 34 deaths reported, bringing the statewide total to 136. The department reported Saturday another 1,597 additional positive cases, bringing the statewide total to 10,017 across all but three of the commonwealth’s 67 counties. Officials say most patients hospitalized and most deaths have occurred in patients aged 65 or older. There have been no pediatric deaths to date, officials said.

Locally in Beaver County on Saturday there were 4 more positive cases and also. 4 deaths reported bringing the total number of deaths to 6 in the county.