STATE: Pennsylvania COVID-19 Statistics per Pennsylvania Department of Health
Data updated as of 12:00pm on 4/15/20

STATE: Cases and Hospitalizations by Age Range per Pennsylvania Department of Health
Data updated as of 12:00pm on 4/15/20

REGIONAL: COVID-19 cases by county per Pennsylvania Department of Health
Data updated as of 12:00pm on 4/15/20

State Coronavirus Updates

• Governor Wolf Urges USDA Support of Vital Pennsylvania Agriculture Sectors: Governor Tom Wolf today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to immediately publish a plan to support agriculture producers, food processors, workers, and local food systems, regardless of size of operation. The $9.5 billion included in the CARES Act – at Perdue’s discretion to distribute across dairy, livestock, specialty crop sectors, horticulture, and restaurants – has the potential to ensure Pennsylvania remains a national leader in agriculture. Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020041566.HTM.
• PUC Encourages Awareness of Telephone Discount Lifeline Program to Consumers at Risk of Isolation During Challenging Times: The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today encouraged consumers across the state, especially those most vulnerable to social isolation, to understand the resources available through the Lifeline program to help them stay connected to their voice and internet services during these challenging times. Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020041567.HTM.
• Human Services Announces CHIP to Maintain Enrollment for Families During COVID-19 Crisis: The Department of Human Services (DHS) today announced that it is making temporary changes to Pennsylvania’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to keep families enrolled in CHIP for the duration of the public health emergency and to ease access to medical services for children being screened or receiving treatment for COVID-19. Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020041570.HTM.
• InFirst Bank Joins ‘PA CARE Package’ Initiative: Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that InFirst Bank has agreed to join the ‘PA CARE Package’, Pennsylvania’s consumer relief initiative. By joining these efforts, InFirst Bank, along with the Office of Attorney General, will ensure Pennsylvania consumers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are eligible for additional economic relief. Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020041572.HTM.
• PA House approves business reopening bill: The state House of Representatives on Tuesday approved legislation, mainly along party lines, to create a way for businesses to reopen if they follow federal safety guidelines for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Senate Bill 613, approved 107-95, challenges the foundation of Gov. Tom Wolf’s executive order last month closing non-essential businesses due to the pandemic. All Democratic lawmakers voted against the bill and two Republican lawmakers joined them. See attached article.
• Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 1,145 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 26,490: The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 15, that there are 1,145 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 26,490. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19. The department also reported 63 new deaths among positive cases, bringing the statewide total to 647. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here. All people are either in isolation at home or being treated at the hospital. Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020041565.HTM.
• Wolf Administration Provides Relief for Taxpayers Affected by COVID-19 Pandemic: Governor Tom Wolf announced today the Department of Revenue is providing relief to Pennsylvanians and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The department is offering taxpayers increased flexibility, additional time to meet their tax obligations, and a pause on several of its standard enforcement actions. Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020041564.HTM.

Regional Coronavirus Updates

• Pittsburgh International Airport
  • Pittsburgh’s regional airports are receiving millions of dollars in federal funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act according to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. “Pennsylvania’s airports provide an essential service to travelers and stimulate our local economies,” Casey said in a press release. “With a steep decline in travel and revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our airports need help to continue operations and save employees’ jobs.” For Pittsburgh International Airport, more than $36 million in grants will be offered by the government. Arnold Palmer Regional airport in Latrobe has been granted more than $2.4 million in grants.
• County COVID-19 Cases
  • There are 1,145 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 63 new deaths in Pennsylvania, according to the latest statewide data released Wednesday, April 15. Locally, Indiana County reported its first death. Westmoreland has two new deaths, increasing its total to 17, and Lawrence County reported a new death, increasing its total to five.

Federal Coronavirus Updates

• White House
  • President Trump is halting funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) while a review is conductedinto the body’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The president said the United States allots $400 million to $500 million to the WHO each year, and if the organization had better investigated early outbreaks in China, the country would have been better prepared. The WHO has faced criticism which is focused on a slow response to the growing crisis in China at the beginning of the year.
• S. Food and Drug Administration
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized a saliva test for “emergency use” for diagnosing COVID-19. Rutgers University, where the test was developed in collaboration with other groups after formally receiving it over the weekend.  Using saliva to diagnose novel coronavirus infections could expand testing capacities across the United States. So far testing for COVID-19 has usually involved nose or throat swabs.
• S. Department of Transportation
  • S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced on Wednesday April 15, the award of approximately $10 billion to commercial and general aviation airports from the Trump Administration’s newly created Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant Program. The effort will provide unprecedented and immediate relief to American families, workers, and businesses and will help fund the continued operations of our nation’s airports during this crisis and save workers’ jobs. This funding will support continuing operations and replace lost revenue resulting from the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The funds are available for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • There is a draft of a back-to-work strategy for the nation, created by a team led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The plan offers guidance for local and state governments on how to reopen the country safely and in phases. The public health strategy is only two parts of a larger planning document that has eight parts.  The strategy has three phases and one is readying the country through a “communication campaign and community readiness assessment until May 1. In the second phase, manufacturing of testing kits and protective equipment would be stepped up and emergency funding increased. That would go through May 15.  Staged reopenings would start after that and would depend on conditions locally. The plan specifically says reopenings would not be before May 1.
• Internal Revenue Service
  • The IRS and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the agency’s watchdog, have already issued several warnings that scammers are posing as the IRS to try to get personal information from payment recipients that they can then use to steal the money. The inspector general is asking people to report any suspicious activity.  Scammers are already contacting innocent Americans by impersonating IRS or Treasury Department officials, offering so-called COVID-19-related assistance that requires the sharing of personal financial information.

National Coronavirus Updates

• According to CNN, as of 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday April 15, 2020, 26,069 individuals have died from the coronavirus in the United States.

• The country may have to endure social distancing measures — such as stay-at-home orders and school closures — until 2022, researchers projected on Tuesday, April 14. That is, unless, a vaccine becomes quickly available.  That’s according to researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who published their findings in the journal Science on Tuesday. Those findings directly contradict research being touted by the White House that suggests the pandemic may stop this summer.
• Wednesday April 14, the United States marked its deadliest day due to COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have reportedly drafted a plan to reopen the country in phases.