Pa. health secretary: ‘Would not surprise us’ if coronavirus cases start increasingVideo
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said no hospitals are strained under the weight of the coronavirus right now, but she expects numbers to continue rising as the month goes on. “It would not surprise us if we do start to see increasing numbers – probably next week and...
Outer Banks closed to visitors as coronavirus pandemic spreads
The Outer Banks area of North Carolina closed to visitors starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, Dare County officials said in a news release. “While there are currently no individuals who have tested positive for covid-19 in Dare County, officials weighed the potential benefits...
As part of $850 billion coronavirus response, Trump wants checks sent to public in 2 weeks
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is asking Congress to unleash a torrent of emergency economic aid to help people through the financial pain of the coronavirus crisis, with sizable checks directly to Americans as part of the deal. Trump wants checks out to the public within two weeks, Treasury Secretary...
Here’s what a drive-by coronavirus test looks likeVideo
Want to see what a test for the coronavirus entails? Photojournalist Lauren Petracca of The Post and Courier newspaper in Charleston, S.C., can show you. It’s essentially the same as a test for the flu. Here’s a video of her getting tested at a drive-by center similar to the one...
More wipes, no jeans: Amazon limits shipments to warehouses
NEW YORK — Amazon, in an attempt to fill its warehouses with toilet paper, hand sanitizer and other items in high demand, said Tuesday that it will limit what suppliers can send to its warehouses for the next three weeks. Among the items that suppliers and third-party sellers can ship...
Trump moves to blunt coronavirus’ heavy impact on U.S. economy
WASHINGTON — Ahead of an expected surge in coronavirus cases, President Donald Trump on Tuesday moved to blunt the impact of the pandemic on the U.S. economy, fundamentally altered by a push for a nation to stay home. As the global markets fluctuated amid fears of a recession, the president...
Tell us your stories: What’s keeping you strong in the coronavirus pandemic?
While it’s time for social distancing, the Trib wants to hear from you – and share your stories about life in this public health emergency. • How are you keeping strong? • What are your fears? • What gives you hope? • What are you doing to help your family,...
Band Together Pittsburgh founders earn international Communitas Award for autism programsVideo
Music can be a stabilizing force and an anchor in one’s life. It’s certainly been that for Ron Esser of Frazer Township, whose longstanding love for live music — the blues in particular — led him to become the owner of Moondog’s and the Starlite Lounge in Blawnox. Esser and...
Allegheny County confirms 1 new coronavirus case, 3 presumptive positives
Another new case and three presumptive positive cases of covid-19 have been confirmed in Allegheny County, officials announced Tuesday morning. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Allegheny County to seven. The new confirmed case is a patient in their 60s who is hospitalized. The health department said...
Fallout from coronavirus: Movie theaters close, airlines cut flying, Walmart limits hours
WASHINGTON — U.S. movie theaters are closing nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, turning dark nearly all of the country’s 40,000-plus screens in an unprecedented shutdown. United Airlines will slash 50% of its flying capacity in April and May and warns the cuts could extend into the peak summer travel...
White House seeks $850 billion economic stimulus as coronavirus spreads
WASHINGTON — The White House is proposing a roughly $850 billion emergency economic rescue package Tuesday for businesses and taxpayers amid the coronavirus crisis, a sweeping stimulus package unseen since the Great Recession. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will outline the package to Senate Republicans at a private lunch, with officials...
Distilleries using high-proof alcohol to make hand sanitizer
NEW TRIPOLI, Pa. — A Pennsylvania distillery owner who grew increasingly angry as he saw the skyrocketing price of hand sanitizer has decided to do something about it: He’s temporarily converting his operation into a production line for the suddenly hard-to-find, gooey, alcohol-based disinfectant. Eight Oaks Farm Distillery filled its...
Dollar General devotes first hour to senior shoppers
Dollar General is dedicating the first hour of its daily store operations to senior citizens in response to the coronavirus. The discount retailer with stores in 44 U.S. states said starting Tuesday, it is strongly encouraging younger customers to visit later in the day so seniors can shop early and...
Ohio scraps Democratic primary, Florida workers a no-show
WASHINGTON — The Democratic presidential primary is consumed with uncertainty after leaders in Ohio called off Tuesday’s election just hours before polls were set to open, citing the need to combat the new coronavirus. Officials in Florida, Arizona and Illinois said they would move forward with the vote — but...
Latest on coronavirus: More than half of local adults could be infected; Cars line up around block for drive-by testing; Greensburg closes city facilities
More than half of adults in Western Pennsylvania could be infected by the coronavirus before the pandemic runs its course, Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen estimated Tuesday night. “Sadly, eventually, everyone in this room, or at least half of us in this room, probably will get this infection,”...
The startling inequality gap that emerges after age 65
In an era when “deaths of despair” — from substance abuse and suicide — are on the rise among middle-aged Americans, those who reach age 65 are living longer than ever. But there’s a catch: Seniors in urban areas and on the coasts are surviving longer than their counterparts in...
Does your child have diabetes? Symptoms to watch for
Cases of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are on the rise among those 20 and under in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Ana Creo, a Mayo Clinic pediatric endocrinologist, explains what signs and symptoms parents should be aware...
Quinn on Nutrition: Full fat dairy … really?
A column I wrote last May about whole milk dairy foods generated quite a response from a reader in Illinois: “Wow. Telling people that high fat foods are good for their heart is a travesty. The one study you mentioned is greatly flawed. Hundreds of other studies show the exact...
Taking strides to better cardiovascular health
Running a marathon may sound overwhelming, but it could be the key to better health. First-time marathon runners significantly improved their cardiovascular health during training for a 26.2-mile race, according to a recent study. “This study showed participants had improvements in overall cardiovascular health, but particularly related to the stiffness...
Treating gout involves combination of lifestyle changes, medication
Dear Mayo Clinic: Years ago, I had gout in my toe, but I didn’t need medication other than ibuprofen. After it went away, I never had any other issues. But over the past few weeks, it has come back and is painful. Is there anything that I can do to...
DOJ dropping case for 2 Russian companies in troll probe
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is moving to drop charges against two Russian companies that were accused of funding a social media campaign to sway American public opinion during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Concord Management and Consulting LLC and Concord Catering were among three companies and 13 individuals charged...
As coronavirus spreads, 6 San Francisco Bay Area counties ordered to shelter in place
Six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area will be placed under a shelter-in-place directive by public health officials in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, a move that will close virtually all businesses and direct residents to remain at home for the next three weeks. San...
Carmelite nun was handy with a set of carpenter’s tools
When the sisters of Carmel of the Assumption first moved into the Lawson Heights home known as the “Murphy mansion,” they had some difficulty with the particulars of the older building. “The floors in the chapel were crooked and we all got bad knees from kneeling,” said Sister Marie Elizabeth....
EU funds firm developing virus vaccine amid U.S. interest
BERLIN — The European Union on Monday announced a multimillion-dollar investment in a German company that is working on a potential vaccine for the new coronavirus amid reports that the U.S. government was interested in acquiring the firm. The funding is part of a coordinated EU response to covid-19, making...
Coronavirus vaccine test opens with 1st dosesVideo
SEATTLE — U.S. researchers gave the first shots in a first test of an experimental coronavirus vaccine Monday, leading off a worldwide hunt for protection even as the pandemic surges. With careful jabs in the arms of four healthy volunteers, scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle...
