3 local counties reportedly on Gov. Wolf’s ‘watch list’ related to rising rates of COVID-19

UPDATE 11:00 p.m.: Three local counties are reportedly on Gov. Tom Wolf’s “watch list” related to the rising rates of COVID-19 infections. Those counties could be facing sanctions from the state if the numbers do not improve.

“We received a call on Thursday from the governor’s office that Washington County is one of three counties in southwestern PA on a watch list that sanctions could be taken. We don’t know what those sanctions could be,” said Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan.

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New study ties blood type to severity of COVID-19 infection

UPDATE 5:30 p.m.: A new study from the New England Journal of Medicine found that people with certain blood types were more or less likely to have a severe infection of COVID-19.

“It’s not surprising in the sense of we know that everyone’s susceptibility to an infectious disease has some element that is driven by their genetics, whether it is blood type or other genetic markers,” infectious disease expert Dr. Amesh Adalja said.

CLICK HERE to read more about the study

Gov. Wolf: “Allegheny Co. is a big area of concern”

UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: “I am concerned. We have seen breakouts in certain areas. Allegheny County is a big area of concern.”

Gov. Wolf was asked Monday about the local increases in cases. He said the state is aggressively working with the county.

“Right now, Allegheny County is the area and we are working closely with them,” Wolf said.

He said there are no plans to return to any region-wide shutdowns and added the state as a whole has fared better than others. Wolf also said the mask order will stay in place until there’s a vaccine.

3 employees at DA’s office test positive for COVID-19

UPDATE 4:42 p.m.: Three employees at the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office have tested positive for COVID-19.

More research highlights importance of masks, according to Gov. Wolf

UPDATE 3:44 p.m.: Gov. Wolf’s office said more research has emerged highlighting the importance of wearing a mask to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

According to a study published in The Lancet and funded by the World Health Organization, 172 studies were looked at from 16 countries on six continents. The study found overall that face mask use could result in a large reduction in infection risk from COVID-19.

Researchers at Texas A&M University also found that not wearing a mask dramatically increases a person’s chances of being infected.

11 Investigates: local private labs dealing with huge spike in coronavirus testing demand

UPDATE 3 p.m.: As coronavirus cases continue to spike in Allegheny County, it’s taking longer for patients to get their test results.

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Cranberry North Park Lounge location shut down after employee tests positive

UPDATE 2:30 p.m.: The Cranberry location of the North Park Lounge is shut down after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

>>>MORE DETAILS: North Park Lounge in Cranberry temporarily closing after employee tests positive for COVID-19

The owner told Channel 11 the employee felt sick and immediately self-isolated. The person had limited exposure to guests.

Westmoreland County enacts emergency response plan at county courthouse

UPDATE 2 p.m.: An employee at the Westmoreland County courthouse tested positive for COVID-19 according to county officials.

The county was notified Sunday and enacted its emergency response plan to keep people safe. The employee is in quarantine and the county has contacted anyone the person may have been in contact with to alert them.

MORE DETAILS HERE

Gov. Wolf: $53 million available to support child care providers

UPDATE 1:40 p.m.: There is now $53 million available in additional financial support for child care providers who have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Gov. Tom Wolf’s office.

The money comes from the CARES Act funding and will be distributed throughout the month. Another $116 million from Act 24 will be paid out as well, bringing the total sum to $220 million.

Six employees test positive in Allegheny Co. court system

UPDATE 1 p.m.: Six employees who work in the Allegheny County court system have tested positive for coronavirus over the past two weeks.

A release by the district court administrator reported the following positive tests:

• 2 employees in the Allegheny County Courthouse (6/25/2020 and 7/2/2020)
• 1 employee in the City-County Building (7/4/2020)
• 1 employee in PreTrial Services (6/30/2020)
• 1 employee at the MDJ offices (7/5/2020)
• 1 employee in the Family Division who was working from home (6/30/2020)

FOR MORE DETAILS: Six employees in Allegheny County court system test positive for coronavirus

NFL releases testing protocol for training camp, preseason

UPDATE 12:30 p.m.: "What if players test positive?"

That question is the million dollar question for the NHL, NBA, Major League Baseball and the NFL as they prepare to get their players back in some capacity in the months of July and August.

CLICK HERE to read more from our partners at DKPittsburghSports.com

Nearly half of new COVID-19 cases in all of Pa. are in Allegheny County

UPDATE 12 p.m.: The spike in COVID-19 cases continued Monday with Allegheny County reporting 218 cases, making it the seventh straight day with more than 100 new cases reported.

[ Coronavirus: What you can and cannot do under the current restrictions in Pennsylvania ]

Allegheny County now has a total of 3,775 cases since the outbreak began.

CLICK HERE to read more about Monday’s numbers

Keeping doctor visits is crucial during COVID-19 pandemic

UPDATE 11:45 a.m.: The coronavirus pandemic has put our normal daily routines on pause.

Doctors stress that your health should still be a top priority and getting to the doctor's office for routine checkups and other care is crucial.

Health officials say there has been a recent trend of people who have stopped keeping up with doctor’s visits and appointments.

>>>MORE DETAILS: Keeping doctor visits is crucial during COVID-19 pandemic