¹ Total case counts include confirmed and probable cases.

State Coronavirus Updates

• Wolf Administration Issues Guidance as Construction Industry Prepares to Resume Work May 1: As the construction industry prepares to resume work, the Wolf Administration issued guidance for all construction businesses and employees to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020042499.HTM.
• Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to Expand Curbside Delivery Program on Monday: The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced on Friday, April 24 it will expand its recently introduced curbside pickup service to 389 more Fine Wine & Good Spirits locations across the commonwealth on Monday, April 27, to serve more customers seeking wine and spirits while maintaining social distancing practices in the interest of public health and safety. Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020042485.HTM.
• Wolf Administration: New Funding Available for Technology-Based Companies: Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced that new funding is available to help technology-based companies impacted by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. “DCED remains committed to identifying new resources that can support Pennsylvania’s businesses during this unprecedented time,” said Sec. Davin. “Our tech companies have been stepping up to provide us with innovative ways to produce personal protective equipment and other supplies, and we must make sure they remain in a position to provide those critical services and ideas in our response to this pandemic.” Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020042497.HTM.
• AARP calls on Pennsylvania to release list of nursing homes with coronavirus cases: The nation’s largest advocate for senior welfare has urged Gov. Tom Wolf to release a list naming which Pennsylvania long-term care facilities have confirmed coronavirus cases. “With the crisis continuing to worsen, we cannot afford to wait another second to shine a light on the situations facing our nursing facility residents and staff,” AARP State Director Bill Johnston-Walsh wrote in a letter to the governor. “Our system must be more transparent.” Read more: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/04/aarp-calls-on-pennsylvania-to-release-list-of-nursing-homes-with-coronavirus-cases.html.
• Wolf Administration Announces Housing and Transportation Funding for Pennsylvania Communities: Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced new funding assistance for transportation and housing activities to address the COVID-19 pandemic under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. “COVID-19 has had a major impact on communities across Pennsylvania, and this funding will serve as a critical resource for Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents,” said Sec. Davin. “By working together with the federal government, we can safeguard the health and wellbeing of individuals across the commonwealth.”  Read more: https://dingo.telicon.com/PA/library/2020/2020042479.HTM.
• Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 1,599 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 38,652: The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 24, that there are 1,599 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 38,652. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19. Today, the state is reporting 1,492 confirmed deaths in Pennsylvania. 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/2020/2020042478.HTM.

Regional Coronavirus Updates

• Allegheny County
  • The Board of Elections voted Thursday April 23 to reduce the number of polling places from more than 1,300 to less than 200, to try and limit the spread of the coronavirus by encouraging residents to vote by mail, rather than in person.   The county’s election department began sending pre-stamped mail-in ballot applications out to registered voters in the county on Monday, an effort to encourage residents to vote by mail. Nearly 90,000 people in Allegheny County have already applied for a mail-in ballot.
• Westmoreland County
  • Westmoreland leaders are hopeful the county’s slow growth of new corona­virus cases will allow for the easing of restrictions early next month as part of the governor’s plan to reopen parts of the state. State testing reports show that, since April 12, Westmoreland has had a single day where new coronavirus cases exceeded 10. Governor Wolf’s guidelines indicate one metric officials will review to determine when regions will be reopened include a determination that a county average no more than 50 new cases for every 100,000 residents over a two-week period. For Westmoreland, which has a population of about 350,000, the caseload over 14 days cannot exceed roughly 175. “By his metrics, we’ve never been that high,” said Commissioner Doug Chew. “I can hope we’ve flattened the curve but also we have to realize the threat is still out there. We have to realize our way of life has to change until this problem is totally cured,” Public Safety Director Roland Mertz said.

Federal Coronavirus Updates

• White House
  • Presidential economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the administration is “pursuing some kind of liability safeguard program” for businesses that reopen that would protect them from coronavirus-related lawsuits. There would be exceptions for gross negligence.

• U.S. House of Representatives
  • The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday April 23 to approve a roughly $480 billion package to deliver aid to small businesses and hospitals and expand COVID-19 testing. The vote was 388-5. The measure passed the Senate earlier this week and will now go to President Donald Trump, who has expressed support for the legislation and indicated that he will sign it.  The bill authorizes an additional $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, $75 billion for hospitals and health care providers to address coronavirus expenses and lost revenue and $25 billion to facilitate and expand COVID-19 testing.
  • The House voted on Thursday April23 to establish a new panel with broad authority to oversee the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. The vote was 212-182. The panel, which will be a select investigative subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee, will have far-reaching power to investigate how the trillions of dollars already approved by Congress for coronavirus relief are being used. It will be able to issue subpoenas, review US preparedness for the crisis and examine decisions about the crisis within the administration.

National Coronavirus Updates

• According to CNN, as of 12: 30 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020, there are 50,066 coronavirus-related deaths and 871,285 total positive cases in the United States.