Daily Update: April 8, 2020 1 PM
Daily Update: April 8, 2020 1 PM
Pennsylvania
- 16,239 confirmed cases, 82,299 tested negative, Deaths 310
Cases by county in the 10-county region per Pennsylvania Department of Health
* case count last updated at 12:00 p.m. on 4/8/2020
| Cases | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|
| Allegheny: | 720 | 10 |
| Armstrong: | 19 | 0 |
| Beaver: | 128 | 13 |
| Butler: | 113 | 2 |
| Fayette: | 35 | 1 |
| Greene: | 18 | 0 |
| Indiana: | 21 | 0 |
| Lawrence: | 32 | 2 |
| Washington: | 59 | 0 |
| Westmoreland: | 183 | 0 |
STATE: Cases and Hospitalizations by Age Range
Data updated as of 12:00pm on 4/8/20
| Age Range | Cases | Hospitalizations |
|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | <1% | <1% |
| 5-12 | <1% | <1% |
| 13-18 | 1% | <1% |
| 19-24 | 7% | 1% |
| 25-49 | 41% | 19% |
| 50-64 | 29% | 29% |
| 65+ | 20% | 51% |
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Health
State Updates
- House and Senate approve separate COVID-19 response bills: The House and Senate each approved bills Tuesday April 7 responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the session day ended without either chamber taking up the other’s bill despite earlier indications that could happen. The two chambers adjourned until later this month after the House voted 108-93 along party lines to approve an amended Senate Bill 327 addressing state government’s role in the pandemic. The Senate, meanwhile, voted unanimously to approve an amended Senate Bill 841 addressing matters involving local government’s response with the pandemic.
**Article attached. ** - PA State Police begin enforcing Gov. Wolf’s ‘stay at home’ order, indicate hope people will voluntarily comply: The Pennsylvania State Police this week started reporting their enforcement efforts with regard to Gov. Tom Wolf’s April 1 statewide COVID-19 “stay at home” order, similar to their reports about their enforcement of the Governor’s order for “nonessential businesses” to close their physical locations. During the first few days of the statewide order enforcement, the police report they have issued six warnings and two citations, with the latter as the result of officers reacting to primary offenses and then issuing a “stay at home” order citation for what, according to the State Police, right now amounts to a secondary offense.
**Article attached.**
Regional Updates
- The Allegheny Institute Reports Estimates of Employment Impacts of Coronavirus in the Pittsburgh MSA: The economic deterioration resulting from the coronavirus plague worsens daily in the U.S., in Europe and here in Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh metro area (MSA). Based on data through the end of March, a rough estimate of the unemployment levels for the region can be calculated. The calculation looks first at the household data for the number of people newly out of work as measured by unemployment claims. Since March 15, Pennsylvania has recorded 844,000 new unemployment claims. That represents roughly 13.6 percent of the number of Pennsylvanians working as of February. Assuming that percentage also applies to the Pittsburgh MSA (which is reasonable in light of the governor’s mandated statewide business closing orders) there would have been 155,600 unemployment claims in the MSA. Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020040893.HTM
- Kane Community Living Center
- Thirty-one residents and staff members at the Kane Community Living Center in Glen Hazel have tested positive for COVID-19. As of April 7, 18 residents have tested positive and 13 staff members have tested positive. On March 27, Kane reported that two residents at the facility tested positive. No deaths have been reported at any of Kane’s four facilities in Allegheny County. Read more: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/allegheny-county/29-people-pittsburgh-senior-living-home-test-positive-covid-19/LPAVJLMYZRCY3DRB2DRO74PQ4M/
- Allegheny County Jail
- The Allegheny County Jail today announced an inmate has tested positive for COVID-19. The individual and their cell mate have been quarantined since they started having symptoms. Visitor restrictions have been in place at the jail since early March. Officials said contract tracing will occur, and the jail is following guidance provided by the Allegheny County Health Department. Read more: https://www.wtae.com/article/allegheny-county-jail-inmate-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/32082385
Federal Updates
United States Congress
- Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer are calling for at least $500 billion in spending in an emergency stopgap coronavirus relief bill. They back $250 billion more in small business loans, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell aims to pass Thursday April 9, 2020, but also want to add funding for hospitals and state and local governments. The legislation is separate from a bill they want to see to expand major parts of the CARES Act, the $2 trillion package Congress passed last month.
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says Democrats will push to include a new hazard pay program for frontline workers in the coronavirus pandemic in the next legislative vehicle that passes Congress in response to the crisis. The Democratic proposal has two main components:
- up to a $25,000 pay increase for essential workers
- one-time $15,000 incentive to help recruit new health care workers during the pandemic.
- Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is working on a bipartisan letter addressed to President Donald Trump demanding an explanation for the firing of Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson. The Senate Finance Committee chairman is still working to secure cosponsors for the letter. The letter will focus on Atkinson’s Friday April 3 firing amid a broader purge by the president of inspectors general.
National Updates
- As of 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday April 8, 2020, there are 12, 936 deaths in the United States.