TIMELINE: Pennsylvania coronavirus updates May 17

PITTSBURGH — Channel 11 News is committed to keeping you informed about the coronavirus, the impact on our community and your lives. Below you’ll find all of today’s updates, including the latest numbers and information from local and state officials.

We’re also covering positive stories in our communities. You can find the most recent ones HERE.

Have questions about the spread of the coronavirus? We have an entire section dedicated to coverage of the outbreak. CLICK HERE for more.

• TIMELINE: Pennsylvania coronavirus updates May 16
• PA CORONAVIRUS MAP: See the number of cases in each county, zip code
• LIVE UPDATES: Latest national, world coronavirus news
• Here are positive things happening within our community

PIHL cancels remainder of its season including unplayed playoff games

UPDATE 5:01 p.m.: The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League has canceled the remainder of its 2019-29 season, including all unplayed games in the Varsity playoffs.

PA now offering additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits

UPDATE 2:03 p.m.: An additional 13 weeks of benefits are available to people who have exhausted their regular unemployment compensation.

Call the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, the program is through the state of Pennsylvania.

Eligibility

You are eligible for PEUC if you:

• Are unemployed between March 29 through December 26, 2020;
• Have exhausted your regular state or federal benefits with week ending July 6, 2019 or later;
• Are currently not eligible for state or federal unemployment benefits; and
• Are able and available to work and actively seeking work, except for COVID-19-related reasons including illness, quarantine, or “stay at home” orders.

How to Receive PEUC​

• ​If you have an open UC claim but exhausted all of your benefits, the 13 additional weeks will automatically be added to your existing claim. Log in this week to file biweekly claims for prior weeks, back through the week ending April 4 (if applicable).
• If your benefit year has expired then you must submit an application online.
• If you don’t have access to computers or the internet, you can have a loved one or friend print the paper application for you to complete and submit via mail. We are also in the process of mailing paper copies of the application to individuals who might need it.
• Biweekly claims and payments work the same way as for regular UC benefits.

PEUC Weekly Benefit Amount:

• Your PEUC weekly benefit amount is the same as your regular UC weekly benefit rate.
• Your weekly benefit rate is based on your reported earnings during the base year (the first four of the last five completed quarters). You must also have over 18 credit weeks (weeks during which you earned $116 or more) in your base year to be eligible for UC.

Extra $600 on PEUC:

• You will receive an additional $600 per week from the federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program. Anyone collecting any type of UC, including PEUC, will receive the extra $600 per week in addition to your weekly benefits as calculated.
• FPUC payments began the week ending April 4, 2020 and will end July 25, 2020. These payments will be backdated for eligible individuals and paid in one lump sum.
• You will receive the extra $600 FPUC payments the week after your PEUC payments.

Pennsylvania’s UC Payments

Since March 15, the department has made 15.7 million payments to claimants totaling nearly $7.9 billion in benefits:

• $4.8 billion from regular UC
• $2.85 billion from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program (extra $600 per week)
• $290 million from Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program since, May 7

State now has 62,234 positive COVID-19 cases

UPDATE 12:03 p.m.: Pennsylvania now has 62,234 positive cases of coronavirus, according to the Department of Health.

There were 623 new positive cases and 15 new deaths reported to the state.

Locally, here is a breakdown:

• Allegheny Co.: 1,603 positive cases, 143 deaths, 22,239 negative cases
• Armstrong Co.: 58 positive cases, 5 deaths, 960 negative cases
• Beaver Co.: 517 positive cases, 83 deaths, 2,710 negative cases
• Butler Co.: 203 positive cases, 6 deaths, 2,992 negative cases
• Clarion Co.: 24 positive cases, 1 death, 587 negative cases
• Fayette Co.: 89 positive cases, 4 deaths, 2,491 negative cases
• Forest Co.: 7 positive cases, 0 deaths, 53 negative cases
• Greene Co.: 27 positive cases, 1 death, 584 negative cases
• Indiana Co.: 84 positive cases, 6 deaths, 1,005 negative cases
• Lawrence Co.: 72 positive cases, 7 deaths, 978 negative cases
• Mercer Co.: 91 positive cases, 2 deaths, 1,092 negative cases
• Venango Co.: 8 positive cases, 0 deaths, 371 negative cases
• Washington Co.: 131 positive cases, 4 deaths, 3,053 negative cases
• Westmoreland Co.: 427 negative cases, 32 deaths, 7,094 negative cases

Locally, there are 3,341 positive cases.

New numbers from Allegheny County

UPDATE 11:00 a.m.: According to the Allegheny County Health Department, there are 1,603 positive cases of coronavirus. That is an increase of eight cases.

That number includes 1,517 confirmed cases and 86 probable cases. There were no new deaths reported.

Changes coming to your next Uber ride

UPDATE 9:28 a.m.: Before a driver can get online, they will need to confirm that have taken certain safety measures and are wearing mask. They’ll be asked to take a selfie to confirm. Riders will be asked if they are wearing a face covering and have washed their hands. Riders will have to sit in the back seat and open a window for ventilation.

These are just some of the changes coming to Uber starting Monday. Other changes include:

• Accountability for all: We are adding new options for feedback, including if a rider or driver is not wearing a mask or face cover. Drivers and riders are being encouraged to cancel trips if they don’t feel safe, including if a user is not wearing a mask or face cover. In addition, riders, drivers, and delivery people who repeatedly violate the policy risk losing access to the app.
• New Limits for UberX and UberXL: To allow for more distance in the car, we are advising riders to no longer sit in the front seat. This means every ride with Uber will have one less passenger seat available. For example, rides with UberX can have a maximum of 3 passengers and only in the back seats.
• Rideshare Health Safety Education: Working with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), we have compiled safety tips and recommendations specifically geared toward ridesharing and food delivery. These tips will be used to educate riders and drivers globally. See a video here.

Coronavirus in Pennsylvania: Sunday morning

UPDATE 7:27 a.m.: With summer-like sunshine and most areas in the yellow phase, people took advantage of it Saturday, hitting places like the Tanger Outlets in Washington County. But shoppers were frustrated that many of the stores weren’t open.

>>>RELATED: Here’s what’s open during the yellow phase in Pennsylvania

The general manager told Channel 11 many stores were having trouble finding workers and it’s taking time to rehire all of the laid off employees.

The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank passed out 1 million pounds of food since the coronavirus pandemic began. The group held two distribution events Saturday, helping them pass that mark.

All parking enforcement will begin Monday in the City of Pittsburgh, according to the police department. That includes towing cars that block fire hydrants, wheelchair access, intersections or entire lanes.

>>>RELATED: Allegheny County consolidates polling places for June 2 primary

There were 61,611 positive cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania Saturday, according to the Department of Health. Locally, there were 3,326 cases in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Shoppers still frustrated by lack of stores open so far Shoppers still frustrated by lack of stores open so far

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