Coronavirus

From Office of Governor Wolf: Governor Tom Wolf signed several bills into law today including HB 1459, which establishes a mental wellness and stress management program for emergency responders who experience post-traumatic stress injuries or traumatic brain injuries on the job. The legislature passed the bill unanimously. “This COVID-19 emergency has been another reminder of…

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By ASHRAF KHALIL WASHINGTON (AP) — With coronavirus cases rising, Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an executive order Wednesday making face masks mandatory outside homes — an unprecedented step in the nation’s capital. Bowser said the order would include “enforcement language” detailing possible fines for violations. After saying they had successfully blunted the infection curve in…

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TORONTO (AP) — The state of Pennsylvania won’t allow the Toronto Blue Jays to play at PNC Park in Pittsburgh amid the coronavirus pandemic, health officials announced Wednesday, becoming the latest jurisdiction to say no to the team as the baseball season begins this week. Canada already had denied the Blue Jays’ request to play…

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HAVANA (AP) — The Bahamas is banning travelers from the United States starting Wednesday after a surge in coronavirus infections followed the islands’ reopening to international tourism. Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said Sunday that the country had seen 49 new coronavirus infections since it opened on July 1, nearly a third of the total of…

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials are extending the U.S. ban on cruise ships through the end of September as coronavirus infections rise in most U.S. states, including Florida. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that it was extending a no-sail order that had been scheduled to expire July 24. In the…

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ABOVE PHOTO: FDNY firefighters gather to applaud medical workers as attending physician Mollie Williams, left, wears personal protective equipment due to COVID-19 concerns outside Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York. Essential workers are lauded for their service and hailed as everyday heroes. But in most states nurses, first responders and frontline workers who get COVID-19…

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Governor Tom Wolf and Sec. of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today signed new orders for targeted mitigation efforts in response to the recent rise in COVID cases, primarily in southwest Pennsylvania, but also in other counties in the state, influencing the decision for statewide mitigation efforts for bars and restaurants, gatherings and telework. The new…

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Terrence Nichols, 44, in Chicago after a COVID-19 infection. Nichols has recovered physically from a relatively mild case of COVID-19, diagnosed in March. But as a Black man in Chicago, knowing its impact in his community has left Nichols feeling fearful, vulnerable and angry over the president’s push to reopen. (Terrence Nichols via AP) By…

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PHDC is now accepting applications for Phase 2 of rental assistance. Renters and landlords may submit their application online, by fax, or by mail. Funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must be Philadelphia residents (renters in other counties must apply to their county’s designated organization). Landlords and renters must each provide…

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ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Monday that she had tested positive for COVID-19. The 50-year-old Democrat is among the women named as a potential vice-presidential running mate for presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden. “COVID-19 has literally hit home. I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive,” Bottoms tweeted. She told…

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