Coronavirus News for Wilkes-Barre

Meet Candice Shovlin. Candice is a resident of Kingston who's about to follow her dreams by opening a new milkshake shop. This is her story.

Pennsylvanians Urged to Report Unemployment Benefits Fraud

Harrisburg, PA – Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jerry Oleksiak is reminding Pennsylvanians of the warning signs associated with the widespread identity theft fraud ring targeting COVID-19 unemployment compensation (UC) benefits programs across the nation. The federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program is the primary target of this sophisticated scam and victims are urged to report instances of fraud to L&I and local police. “Pennsylvania takes unemployment benefits fraud very seriously and first warned the public about this national scam in May,” said Secretary Oleksiak. “These fraudsters are using personal information previously stolen from sources outside of commonwealth agencies to file for PUA benefits. Many Pennsylvanians are not even aware their identities were stolen in the past until they receive correspondence or a debit card from our UC office. I urge everyone to remain vigilant, recognize the scam warning signs, and know what to do if you become a victim.” L&I continues to work closely with many state and federal partners, including banking and law enforcement officials. That collaboration identified more than 4,000 fraudulent claims in Pennsylvania for PUA benefits and prevented more than $44 million from reaching criminals. “Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds are intended to help Pennsylvanians who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus,” said U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain. “Thieves who attempt to take these funds are taking advantage of others’ misfortune – ripping them off while also ripping off all taxpayers who fund the program. I want to commend the outstanding cooperation and coordination among federal and state agencies, and private banking institutions, that together achieved this remarkable success. The U.S. Attorney’s Office Coronavirus Working Group enables us to combine the tremendous resources and skill of federal and state law enforcement to do what it takes to bring these criminals to justice.” Scam Warning Signs Pennsylvanians should be aware of the following potentially fraudulent activities related to unemployment compensation benefits: You have not applied for unemployment benefits but receive a check or direct deposit from the Pennsylvania Treasury Department (Treasury) or a ReliaCard debit card issued by US Bank.You receive correspondence from L&I or Treasury about receiving unemployment assistance for which you did not apply.Someone comes to your home that you do not know and tells you that their unemployment assistance check or debit card was mailed to you by mistake.Someone asks you to use your bank account to deposit their unemployment assistance.Someone, in person or electronically, tells you that you are entitled to unemployment assistance and requests your personal identifying information.Someone offers to help you file for unemployment benefits for a fee.Someone claims to be from L&I or another government agency or office and asks for a fee or personal information to complete your application for PUA or other benefits.Any employer that receives notice that a claim has been filed for one or more of your employees who continued working and were not laid off or otherwise unemployed. If any of these suspicious activities happen to you, do not assist or confront the fraudster. Report FraudReport fraudulent activity regarding Pennsylvania’s unemployment benefits:Online Identity theft – if you suspect or know that someone is using your personal information such as your name, Social Security Number, or date of birth without your knowledge or consent to file for unemployment benefits, complete and submit the Identity Theft Form. Unemployment claims fraud – if you know of individuals who are collecting unemployment benefits illegally, including people who are working and not reporting their wages for PA UC benefit purposes; or people who cannot work due to an illness, disability or incarceration, complete and submit the Unemployment Claims Fraud Form.Phone PA Fraud Hotline – 1-800-692-7469Police File a police report with the municipality you resided in at the time the unemployment benefits in question were paid. A copy of the police report must be provided to the Office of Unemployment Compensation. If you are a victim of identity theft you may also report it to the Federal Trade Commission and start a recovery plan at https://www.identitytheft.gov/. How to Return Benefit PaymentsIndividuals who receive unemployment benefits payments that they did not apply for should use the appropriate following methods to return the funds.Paper checks Return to – Department of Treasury Comptroller’s Office Attn: Mark Accorsi Room 113, Finance Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 Direct deposits Return to – Department of Labor & Industry 651 Boas St., Room 500 Harrisburg, PA 17121ReliaCard debit cards from US Bank Do not activate the debit cards and follow one of these procedures:Email a picture of the back of the ReliaCard or the number on the back of the card to PA Treasury at officeofinvestigations@patreasury.gov and include your name, phone number, and email address. Destroy the card after emailing this information. Return the ReliaCard by mail to: Department of Treasury Comptroller’s Office Attn: Mark Accorsi Room 113, Finance Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 Additional information is available on L&I’s website at www.uc.pa.gov/fraud, Facebook or Twitter.

2020 Bloomsburg Fair Canceled

BLOOMSBURG — The 2020 Bloomsburg Fair has been canceled. In an e-mail sent out on Tuesday afternoon, Fair officials say concerns over the health and safety regarding the potential spread of COVID-19 led to the decision to cancel this year's fair. The fair is set to return next summer from September 24 through October 2, 2021.The fair also announced that four entertainment events, which were set to take place this year, have been moved to next year's fair. The acts that have been rescheduled are Pat Benetar, Jon Pardi, Braid Paisley, and Chicago. If you purchased tickets to any or all of these shows, click here for options, ncluding how to obtain a refund.

Scranton Update, with Mayor Cognetti

Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti called into the Jason Barsky Show to give listeners an update on the Electric City.

California surpasses New York state in confirmed virus cases

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California has surpassed New York for the most coronavirus cases in the country, reporting more than 409,000 infections after setting a record on Tuesday for the state's most confirmed new cases in a single day since the start of the pandemic. The surge of cases comes as California reopened much of its economy in May. Since then, Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered statewide shutdowns for bars and indoor dining while imposing tougher restrictions — including bans on indoor worship services and in-person instruction at schools — on virtually every large county and some small ones where the outbreak is most severe. But New York still has by far the most coronavirus-related deaths in the country with more than 32,500. It's four times more than California's tally. Its rate of confirmed infections of about 2,100 per 100,000 is twice California's rate. California's cases have steadily climbed, with the state confirming 12,807 new cases on Tuesday — its highest single-day total since the start of the pandemic. California is by far the most populous U.S. state, with nearly 40 million people, while New York has about 19.5 million. “We are a state, again, the size of 21 states combined, so it’s not surprising now in some respects as we begin to reopen key sectors of our economy ... that our numbers would start to go up,” Newsom said Wednesday. “(It's) a sober reminder of why we are taking things as seriously as we are.” U.S. government data published Tuesday found that reported and confirmed coronavirus cases vastly underestimate the true number of infections, echoing results from a smaller study last month. The U.S. also has had consistent testing failures that experts say contribute to an undercount of the actual virus rate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study said true COVID-19 rates were more than 10 times higher than reported cases in most U.S. regions from late March to early May. It is based on COVID-19 antibody tests performed on routine blood samples in 16,000 people in 10 U.S. regions. California initially succeeded in slowing the spread of the virus. But the state has had a sharp reversal, with COVID-19 infection rates climbing sharply in recent weeks. California residents starting in March were urged to stay home as much as possible. State health orders shut down all but essential businesses such as grocery stores. Throughout May and June, California reopened much of its economy, and people resumed shopping in stores and dining in restaurants. The extent of reopening was evident in data that showed California’s unemployment rate fell in June as the state added a record 558,000 jobs. But infections began to surge, and a new round of business restrictions was imposed, including a ban on indoor dining in restaurants and bars. Los Angeles County, the nation's most populous with 10 million residents, reported that younger people were driving the spread of new infections. More than half of the county's new cases came from people under age 41, The county's COVID-19 death total was at 4,154. with positive cases topping 161,670, the county's Department of Public Health said. “The tragedy of what we are witnessing is that many of our younger residents are interacting with each other and not adhering to the recommended prevention measures, while our older residents continue to experience the results of this increased spread with the worst health outcomes, including death," Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the number of New York deaths is 32,250, not 72,302, and that the New York death toll is four times higher than California’s toll, not eight times. __ Associated Press writer John Antczak in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing Expands in Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today provided an update on contact tracing efforts as COVID-19 remains a threat in our communities. Contact tracing is the process of identifying, notifying, and monitoring anyone who came in close contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 while they were infectious. “Across Pennsylvania, we have dedicated public health professionals who truly are the backbone of contact tracing, working alongside our regional partnerships, staff and volunteers,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine. “As COVID-19 cases increase, we continue our efforts to support, strengthen and expand in order to conquer any potential surge in COVID-19 cases. Without case investigations the proven public health strategies, like contact tracing efforts and monitoring would not be possible. Contact tracing is critical to identify any instances of community spread and prevent larger outbreaks to keep Pennsylvania safe from COVID-19.”The Department of Health continues to expand and build the infrastructure for long-term public health needs, especially those in the near future to tackle any COVID-19 surges in cases. This expansion includes volunteers, regional partnerships and hiring contact tracing staff. Currently, Pennsylvanians share on average one to ten contacts. Our estimates show that the state needs about 625 contact tracers. However, this number could grow hundreds, even thousands, depending on the resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall. Currently, the commonwealth has a total of 661 contact tracers. As of the July 2020 report released July 13, there were 649 contact tracers with the following breakdown in each regional health district in Pennsylvania: Northcentral District: 37 contact tracers South Central District: 73 contact tracers Northeast District: 69 contact tracersSoutheast District: 380 contact tracersNorthwest District: 29 contact tracers Southwest District: 61 contact tracersWithin each of these health districts, we are working to gather a number of outside organizations to discuss the contact tracing needs and any potential problems and solutions in the various regions across the state. These regional partnerships consist of community business organizations, employers, federally qualified health centers, county human services organizations, foundations and health systems, and colleges and universities. The Department of Health is hiring contact tracing field managers and community health nurses to strengthen contact tracing needs throughout the state. Contact tracing filed managers would allow each coordinator to foster relationships with their regional partners and manage contact tracers within their respective region. Community health nurses will assist with COVID-19 case investigations. Between June 29 and July 13, contact tracers have enrolled 3,638 contacts in the Sara Alert system. The Sara Alert, working alongside our disease surveillance system (NEDSS), offers contact tracers the ability to track, monitor, isolate and test symptomatic contacts and is further enhanced by the use of technology applications. This web-based monitoring tool enable contact tracers to send daily emails, texts and/or phone calls to cases and identified close contacts throughout their isolation/quarantine monitoring period. This technology enhances the contact tracer's ability to promptly respond and provide guidance to symptomatic individuals. For more information on contact tracing, please visit our website here.

Pandemic Update 7-21-2020

Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., July 21, that there are 1,027 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 102,765. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19. Allegheny is reporting an increase of 139 cases and Philadelphia is reporting an increase of 168 new cases. The number of tests administered within the last 7 days between July 14 and July 20 is 155,796 with 5,996 positive cases. There were 22,287 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m., July 20. These results represent the total number of tests administered.There are 7,038 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 20 new deaths reported. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard. “As the state has put in place new mitigation efforts to offset recent case increases, we must renew our commitment to protecting against COVID-19 by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and following the requirements set forth in the orders for bars and restaurants, gatherings and telework,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Pennsylvania has been a model for the country on how to reopen effectively using a careful, measured approach. However, we know the virus has not gone away as we see cases rise, so we must work together to stop another surge.”Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and whenever leaving home. Consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.There are 637 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure, which are considered probable cases and not confirmed cases. There are 952,998 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:1% are ages 0-4;1% are ages 5-12;Nearly 3% are ages 13-18;Nearly 9% are ages 19-24; 37% are ages 25-49; 23% are ages 50-64; and25% are ages 65 or older.Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.The department is seeing significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases among younger age groups, particularly 19 to 24-year-olds. An alert was sent to healthcare providers about the changing COVID-19 case demographics, as there are more cases in younger age groups than in those 50-64 and 65+. The following regions have seen significant increases among 19 to 24-year-olds in each month from April to present in July:

Bloomsburg Fair dunk tank photo goes viral, sparks outrage

UPDATED WITH A STATEMENT FROM THE BLOOMSBURG FAIR:The Bloomsburg Fair is facing backlash after a social media post showed a man wearing a dress, in a dunk tank. The post said “Dr. Levine? Thank you. You were a hit and raised a lot of money for the local fire companies. Wonder why so many were trying to dunk you J Thanks everyone that came out to support our local fire companies.” The social media post contained images from the recent Fireman’s Relief Carnival, which took place on the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds. Dr. Rachel Levine is Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health, and she’s transgender. The criticism about the post appeared quickly, with Facebook users calling the post “transphobic” and “hateful.” While the controversial post was eventually deleted, that didn’t stop Facebook users from expressing their disapproval to the “bigoted” content. In the hours after the “Dr. Levine” dunk tank post was deleted, Facebook users continued flocking to the Bloomsburg Fair’s page to post negative comments on the group’s other status updates. A news conference on the situation is scheduled for this afternoon. This isn’t the only controversy currently surrounding the Bloomsburg Fair. Despite the world wide COVID-19 pandemic, the Bloomsburg Fair is still scheduled to run from September 25th to October 3rd. This year’s is set to be the 165th Bloomsburg Fair. HERE'S THE STATEMENT FROM THE BLOOMSBURG FAIR

The Latest: White House to resume daily COVID-19 briefings

WASHINGTON — The White House is reviving its public coronavirus task force briefings, and President Donald Trump will again take on a starring role. Trump says he’ll lead a briefing at 5 p.m. Tuesday, his first since April 27. The coronavirus task force, led by Vice President Mike Pence, briefed the public daily in March and April with Trump participating and dominating many of the televised sessions. But the briefings disappeared in late April after ratings began to slide and Trump mused about the possibility of using disinfectants inside the body to kill the virus. Some of Trump’s closest advisers had publicly advocated for the return of briefings led by the president, who has slid against Democratic rival Joe Biden in recent polls. The virus has killed at least 140,000 Americans and is surging again in much of the country. ___ HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: — Top Congressional Republicans meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on the next COVID-19 aid package — Workers turn into amateur sleuths to track virus cases — European Union leaders cautiously optimistic a deal is in sight on a massive budget and coronavirus recovery fund — School districts reopening classrooms in the fall wrestle with whether to require teachers and students to wear face masks — Kentucky announces single-day high of new coronavirus cases Follow all of AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ___ HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: MADRID — Spain’s health minister says recent localized restrictions should stem some of the country’s worrying coronavirus outbreaks, but is asking people to heed recommendations they stay at home and reduce socialization. Roughly half the 2,289 infections currently active in 201 outbreaks in Spain are in the northern regions of Aragon and Catalonia, where many cases are tied to workers in the seasonal fruit harvest. Health Minister Salvador Illa says contagion has also spiked among young people and nightlife events. Illa adds that those outbreaks “are going to enter a phase of control.” Spain on Monday reported 4,500 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total since the beginning of the pandemic to over 264,000. At least 28,400 people have died of the virus. ___ GENEVA — The head of emergencies at the World Health Organization is hailing “good news” in results shown by two COVID-19 vaccine candidates in early trials, but warns “there’s a long way to go.” “We now need to move into larger-scale real-world trials,” Dr. Michael Ryan told reporters at a news conference in Geneva. “But it is good to see more data and more products moving into this very important phase of vaccine discovery.” Ryan’s comments came as scientists at Oxford University, in a paper published in The Lancet, said their experimental vaccine had been shown to trigger a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot. Also in the medical journal, Chinese researchers published a study on their experimental vaccine, using a similar technique as the Oxford team, that reported an immune response. Ryan noted there are 23 COVID-19 candidate vaccines in clinical development, but until Monday only one had produced Phase 1 clinical data. Also Monday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concerns about the COVID-19's impact on indigenous peoples, particularly in the Americas. Tedros said more than 70,000 cases have been reported among indigenous peoples in the Americas, and over 2,000 deaths. ___ LONDON — Scientists at Oxford University say their experimental coronavirus vaccine has been shown in an early trial to prompt a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot. British researchers first began testing the vaccine in April in about 1,000 people, half of whom got the experimental vaccine. Such early trials are designed to evaluate safety and see what kind of immune response was provoked, but can’t tell if the vaccine truly protects. In research published Monday in the journal Lancet, scientists said that they found their experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced a dual immune response in people aged 18 to 55 that lasted at least two months after they were immunized. “We are seeing good immune response in almost everybody,” said Dr. Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute at Oxford University. “What this vaccine does particularly well is trigger both arms of the immune system,” he said. Hill said that neutralizing antibodies are produced — molecules which are key to blocking infection. In addition, the vaccine also causes a reaction in the body’s T-cells which help to fight off the coronavirus. ___ ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida has reported 90 new deaths from COVID-19, bringing its seven-day average to about 114 per day. Its overall deaths rank 25th in the nation per capita, or about 7 times less than highest-ranked New Jersey. Hospitalizations for the disease continued to increase, standing at 9,452 statewide Monday — up about 160 from the day before. Though the increase has slowed when compared to about week ago, those additional patients have been straining ICU units of some hospitals in the South Florida, Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville areas. Many hospital administrators have limited non-emergency procedures to help make space. Statewide, 18% of ICU units were available. ___ MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has supported the idea of postponing until next year a mass event marking the 75th anniversary of the World War II defeat of Nazi Germany, because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Immortal Regiment, a large-scale procession pf people carrying photographs of their relatives who died during the war, traditionally takes place in many Russian cities May 9, Victory Day — the country’s most important national holiday. This year Putin postponed it until July 26. Last week organizers suggested postponing it again, saying social distancing contradicts the spirit of the procession during which people stand “shoulder to shoulder.” Putin said Monday that “events like this can’t be carried out at any cost.” Russia has reported over 777,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 12,000 deaths. ___ LONDON — British officials say they have signed a deal to buy 90 million doses of experimental coronavirus vaccines being developed by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and others. The British government said in a statement Monday that it had secured access to a vaccine candidate being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, in addition to another experimental vaccine researched by Valneva. Britain had previously signed a deal with AstraZeneca to provide 100 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine being tested by Oxford University. “Millions of people could be vaccinated against coronavirus,” the government statement said, citing the three different vaccines it has now invested in. Although it is still unclear which if any of the vaccines will ultimately prove effective against the virus, Britain and other rich countries are already investing in the vaccines to ensure there is enough manufacturing capacity to deliver any successful candidate. Vaccines typically take years to develop and more than a dozen are in the early stages of testing globally. ___ JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s health minister says “no one should be turned (away) at the gate” for coronavirus care as public hospitals come under growing pressure from the pandemic. The country now ranks fifth in the world in virus caseload with more than 364,000 and makes up more than half the confirmed infections in Africa. Deaths have surpassed 5,000. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told reporters that “there’s never going to be a time there’s pressure on any hospital” and said the number of beds will be increased and private hospitals will help. He visited a new field hospital in Johannesburg that is meant to hold patients who need less intensive care. Already it has 150 people in isolation, nine in quarantine and 20 on oxygen, the Gauteng provincial health department said. ___ PARIS — Face masks are now required in France’s supermarkets, shopping malls, banks, stores and indoor markets to curb worrisome signs that the coronavirus is making inroads again. The measure took effect Monday. A fine of 135 euros ($155) can be levied against those who don’t comply. Masks were already required in museums, public transport, cinemas, places of worship and other enclosed spaces. The list is now being expanded to include stores, government offices open to the public, banks and covered markets. France has reported more than 30,000 COVID-19-related deaths, nearly half of them in retirement homes for older adults. France brought down infections with a strict two-month lockdown but is now seeing signs that the virus is making a comeback. Health Minister Olivier Veran said Monday that one new source of infections appears to be families getting together for the summer vacation. ___ NEW DELHI — India reported more than 40,000 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday, a record high for the country. The 40,425 new cases raised India’s total to 1,118,043, including 27,497 deaths. The ministry said late Sunday that India’s coronavirus fatality rate — currently at 2.49% — is “progressively falling” due to an effective containment strategy and aggressive testing. A country of 1.4 billion people, India has been conducting nearly 10,000 tests per million people. More than 300,000 samples are being tested every day now, compared to just a few hundred in March, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research. With a surge in infections in the past few weeks, local governments in India have been ordering focused lockdowns in high-risk areas. ___ BEIJING — China says it arrested 5,370 people for various forms of illegal activity related to the coronavirus pandemic between January and June. More than 40% were charged with fraud, the state prosecutor’s office announced Monday. Another 15% were charged with obstruction of law enforcement, with others accused of producing and selling fake and shoddy goods, creating public disturbances and transporting and selling endangered species. China has strengthened protection for wild animals following the emergence of the virus, which has been linked to a wet market in the city of Wuhan and is believed to have possibly originated among bats before jumping to humans via an intermediary species such as the anteater-like pangolin. ___ SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has reported its smallest daily jump in local COVID-19 transmissions in two months as health authorities express cautious optimism that the outbreak is being brought under control. South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday still reported 26 newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 22 that were tied to international arrivals. Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said during a virus briefing that the four local transmissions represented the first time that such infections came below 10 since May 19. He pleaded for continued vigilance, encouraging people to avoid crowded places or even stay at home during the summer holiday period. Officials consider imported cases as a lesser threat than local transmissions because the country is mandating COVID-19 tests and enforcing two-week quarantines on all people arriving from abroad. ___ MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia’s hard-hit Victoria state recorded a third daily COVID-19 tally below a record 428 cases reported last week, but the state government leader said on Monday it was too early to tell what impact a second lockdown was having. Since 428 cases were reported on Friday, Victoria has recorded 217, 363 and 275 cases on consecutive days. Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews expected to know on Wednesday what impact a lockdown on Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, and the neighoring semi-rural Mitchell Shire were having. “It is a wicked enemy, it is unstable and until we bring some stability to this, I don’t think we’ll be able to talk about a trend,” Andrews said. “I’m certainly much happier to be able to report a lower number than a high one.” Victoria had conducted more than 1.3 million coronavirus tests among a population of 6.5 million, which represented one of the highest testing rates in the world, he said. Most students in the lockdown regions returned to online schooling at home after an extended vacation. ___ BEIJING — Numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases in China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang continue to rise. Another 17 cases were reported on Monday, bringing the total in China’s latest outbreak to at least 47. One of the 17 new cases was in the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar, the regional government said. The remainder were in the regional capital of Urumqi, where all other cases have been reported since the outbreak emerged earlier this month. China had largely contained local transmission of the virus before the Urumqi outbreak and has taken swift action to bring it under control, cutting subway, bus and taxi service, closing some communities, imposing travel restrictions and ordering widespread testing.