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...
5 dead, including officer and gunman, in Missouri shootingVideo
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A man fired randomly from his vehicle several times while driving through a southwest Missouri city before eventually crashing into a convenience store, where he walked inside, opened fire and left five people dead, including a police officer and himself, police said Monday. The dead from Sunday...
Israel takes step toward monitoring phones of virus patients
Israel has long been known for its use of technology to track the movements of Palestinian militants. Now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to use similar technology to stop the movement of the coronavirus. Netanyahu’s Cabinet on Sunday authorized the Shin Bet security agency to use its phone-snooping tactics on...
Consumers scramble as Pennsylvania liquor stores set to close over coronavirus concerns
All Pennsylvania Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores will close at 9 p.m. Tuesday to help combat the spread of covid-19, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced. Stores in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties in eastern Pennsylvania — among the hardest-hit in the state — already were slated to...
Canada closing borders to non-citizens, Americans exempted
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he will close the country’s borders to anyone not a citizen, an American or a permanent resident — and even they have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival — due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Let me be clear: If you are abroad,...
Here are some tips to healing your hands from excessive handwashing
Frequent handwashing, while necessary as protection from the coronavirus that causes covid-19, can lead to dry skin and irritation. “I’ve been noticing it myself,” said Dr. Laura Ferris, a UPMC dermatologist and associate professor of dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh. It’s especially a problem for people who work in...
Trump administration tells older Americans to stay home, all ages to avoid crowdsVideo
WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants as part of sweeping guidelines meant to combat an expected surge of coronavirus cases. President Donald Trump, in a marked shift in tone about a crisis...
These cleaning chemicals do not mix, warns Westmoreland hazmat team
As residents and businesses continue deep cleaning efforts, those attempting to eradicate germs as a part of battling coronavirus need to keep their own health and safety in mind. Mixing some cleansing agents and inhaling the vapors can be toxic, experts warn. The Westmoreland County Hazardous Materials Response Team 800...
Gov. Wolf orders nonessential Pennsylvania businesses to shut down
Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday ordered nonessential Pennsylvania businesses to shut down to help curb the spread of coronavirus. Wolf said he expects the closures beginning Tuesday to last at least two weeks, but “we will be constantly reevaluating.” Wolf’s order came hours after New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and...
