Coronavirus category, Page 268

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...

WQED Education says that, although its in-person programs and events at schools and libraries are curtailed until further notice due to coronavirus-related closures, it will continue to support teachers, parents and students through its social media platforms. “During this uncertain time, WQED is still the ‘school of the air,’ which...

Idris Elba says he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The actor tweeted Monday that he has no symptoms so far and has been isolated since Friday when he found out about his possible exposure. Elba is the latest high profile celebrity to have tested positive for the virus. Last...

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...

The White House is canceling its annual Easter Egg Roll over coronavirus concerns. The event, in which thousands of children and adults roll hard-boiled eggs across the lawn and play other games, had been scheduled for April 13. Melania Trump announced the cancellation Monday, saying it was being done “out...

Non-emergency city offices and buildings in the City of Pittsburgh closed at noon Monday in response to the covid-19 pandemic, which has already shuttered other public places in Allegheny County. The closures will bring to a halt all non-essential business in the city, according to a news release. Buildings including...

All nonessential business activity and city government operations will be halted for two weeks in Philadelphia, Mayor Jim Kenney announced Monday, in an effort to contain the coronavirus from spreading in the city of 1.6 million people. In issuing the order, Kenney asked that residents and businesses observe the restrictions,...

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced Monday afternoon that it will temporarily stop accepting cash at tollbooths in an effort to safeguard employees and travelers in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The change takes effect at 8 p.m. Monday. Drivers are instructed not to stop at tollbooths. Tolls will be assessed...

It has been a week of global cancellations from vacations, to sporting events, to flights after the spread of the new coronavirus. Associated Press photographers from Washington state to Italy have captured touching moments, from family conversations through a window at a Seattle nursing home to home-bound Italians singing from...

Spring is the time for school field trips and outdoor activities — but maybe not this year. How to replace those favorite activities for the kids while they’re on their extra-long “spring break”? One idea comes from zoos around the country. Kids can take a virtual animal safari via various...

In all her years of playing basketball, Penn State Beaver senior Cheyenne Lopez never cut down a net. That changed last Wednesday, and in earning that privilege, Lopez and the Lions might have become the answer to a trivia question. What was the only women’s basketball team to win a...

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is alleging that a foreign disinformation campaign is underway aimed at spreading fear in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic, three U.S. officials said Monday. On Sunday, federal officials began confronting what they said was a deliberate effort by a foreign entity to sow fears...

The NHL offered further guidelines on Monday for a potential return to play as the world at large deals with the coronavirus that has brought countless walks of life to a halt. If the league returns this season, it won’t be until late April at the earliest. The NHL issued...

The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh announced it will close all eight of its branches beginning Monday night. “This is not a decision we wanted to make. We are a community organization that thrives on bringing people together and creating personal connections that change lives through membership and programs,” the YMCA...

Communities in the Alle-Kiski Valley began declaring states of emergency Monday to prevent the spread of exposure to the coronavirus. New Kensington Mayor Thomas Guzzo said the emergency declaration he signed Monday morning will last for five days unless city council extends it. “The city will remain open to assist...

A partial shutdown of the Westmoreland County Courthouse operations will start Wednesday, commissioners have ordered. Beginning mid-week only “essential” personnel will report to work to maintain government operations, Commissioners Chairman Sean Kertes said. “We don’t want people coming to the courthouse,” he said. The scaling back was delayed to accommodate...

More area universities have extended online instruction for the rest of the school year, as hopes of returning to normal operation all but fade away during the covid-19 pandemic. Indiana University of Pennsylvania has suspended all face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the spring semester and has asked students living...

Pennsylvania officials are bumping up outreach efforts to workers facing unemployment from the rising coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, state Secretary of Labor & Industry Jerry Oleksiak said workers facing a job loss may be eligible for unemployment and workers’ compensation benefits. That prospect has hit home for millions nationwide as...

Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Pittsburgh-based infectious disease and critical care physician, fielded a range of questions from the Tribune-Review on Monday morning. Adalja is a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. He works on pandemic preparedness, emerging infectious diseases and hospital preparedness. What are the most...

Patients concerned they might have been exposed to covid-19 were able to take advantage of drive-by testing at three locations Monday across Western Pennsylvania, and the testing is expected to be offered Tuesday, as well. Central Outreach Wellness Center, with locations on the North Shore, Aliquippa and Washington, had about...