DAILY UPDATE: APRIL 21, 2020 4 PM
COVID-19 Update – Tuesday, April 21 1:00pm
STATE: Pennsylvania COVID-19 Statistics per Pennsylvania Department of Health
Data updated as of 12:45pm on 4/21/20
| Positive Cases | Negative Tests | Total Deaths |
| 34,528 | 132,232 | 1,564 |
STATE: Cases by Age Range to Date
per Pennsylvania Department of Health
Data updated as of 12:45pm on 4/21/20
| Age Range | Cases |
| 0-4 | <1% |
| 5-12 | <1% |
| 13-18 | 1% |
| 19-24 | 6% |
| 25-49 | 39% |
| 50-64 | 28% |
| 65+ | 25% |
STATE: Hospitalization Rates by Age Range to Date
per Pennsylvania Department of Health
Data updated as of 12:45pm on 4/21/20
| Age Range | Cases |
| 0-29 | 2% |
| 30-49 | 5% |
| 50-64 | 9% |
| 65-79 | 19% |
| 80+ | 20% |
REGIONAL: COVID-19 cases by county to Date
per Pennsylvania Department of Health
Data updated as of 12:45pm on 4/21/20
| County | Positive Cases | Negative Tests | Deaths | New cases since 4/20 |
New deaths since 4/20 |
| 10-County Region | 2,148 | 23,357 | 153 | +36 | +25 |
| Allegheny | 1,059 | 11,611 | 67 | +17 | +12 |
| Armstrong | 38 | 474 | 2 | – | – |
| Beaver | 303 | 1,628 | 43 | +5 | +7 |
| Butler | 162 | 1,840 | 6 | +1 | +1 |
| Fayette | 69 | 1,376 | 3 | +2 | – |
| Greene | 25 | 332 | 0 | – | – |
| Indiana | 55 | 453 | 4 | +2 | – |
| Lawrence | 60 | 537 | 6 | +1 | +1 |
| Washington | 86 | 1,577 | 2 | +3 | – |
| Westmoreland | 291 | 3,529 | 20 | +5 | +4 |
State Coronavirus Updates
- More than 1.5 million unemployment claims filed in Pa. as jobless numbers continue to climb: The number of Pennsylvanians filing unemployment claims continues to climb. On Monday April 20, Pennsylvania Labor & Industry Secretary Jerry Oleksiak said that the state had surpassed 1.5 million unemployment claims filed since March 15, when the state rolled out coronavirus mitigation efforts. Read more: https://www.pennlive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/pa-unemployment-numbers-continue-to-climb-pandemic-unemployment-portal-logs-thousands-of-claims.html.
- Spike in coronavirus deaths reflects better reporting, Pa. health secretary says: Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said Tuesday April 21 the state’s sharp uptick in deaths due to the coronavirus seen in recent days reflects better reporting. Read more: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/04/updates-on-coronavirus-in-pennsylvania-from-health-secretary-watch-live.html.
- Tom Wolf vetoes bill that could allow more Pa. businesses to reopen: Pennsylvania’s Gov. Tom Wolf, as expected, vetoed legislation that would allow more businesses to reopen provided they comply with certain COVID-19 safety standards. Read more: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/04/gov-tom-wolf-vetoes-bill-that-could-allow-more-pa-businesses-to-reopen.html.
- Secretary of Health Dr. Levine
- As of 12 am today, there are 1,296 new positive cases; 34,528 positive cases now statewide in all 67 counties. This includes 981 confirmed cases and 315 probable cases.
- 1,564 deaths are adults who tested positive; 1,264 are confirmed and 300 are probable.
Regional Coronavirus Updates
- Governor Wolf on Southwestern Pennsylvania
- Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday April 21 said southwestern Pennsylvania’s relatively low rate of COVID-19 infection will play a role in determining what parts of Pennsylvania will reopen beginning May 8. Whether that would mean the Pittsburgh region would be able to get opened more quickly than other parts of the state was something that Wolf didn’t commit to specifically. He said that the time line for reopening is based on data, a methodical approach that will include ramping up testing, and what the virus is doing.
- Westmoreland County
- State Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, will hold a telephone town hall Wednesday April 22 afternoon about the coronavirus pandemic in Westmoreland County. Ward said she will be joined by Coroner Ken Bacha and Excela Health emergency medicine Dr. Heather Walker at 2:40 p.m. Constituents can listen to the discussion by phone or online. To sign up for a phone call when the town hall is set to start, visit senatorward.com/tele-town-hall. Audio of the event also will be live-streamed at that link.
Federal Coronavirus Updates
- White House
- President Trump said Tuesday April 21 he would sign legislation pending in Congress to replenish a small business loan program that’s been overrun by demand and also boost spending for hospitals and coronavirus testing. Final text was still being reviewed ahead of a scheduled 4 p.m. vote in the Senate, but Trump’s tweet endorsed those efforts. The $484 billion legislation would increase funding for the Paycheck Protection Program by $310 billion, boost a separate small business emergency grant and loan program by $60 billion, and direct $75 billion to hospitals and $25 billion to a new coronavirus testing program.
- Senior White House and Trump administration officials are planning to launch a sweeping effort in the coming days to repeal or suspend federal regulations affecting businesses, with the expected executive action seen by advisers as a way to boost an economy facing its worst shock in generations, two people familiar with the internal planning said. The White House-driven initiative is expected to center on suspending federal regulations for small businesses and expanding an existing administration program that requires agencies to revoke two regulations for every new one they issue, the two people said. While the plan remains in flux, changes could affect environmental policy, labor policy, workplace safety and health care, among other areas.