Gov. Wolf offers hospitals low-interest loans during COVID-19 pandemic
Gov. Tom Wolf announced Friday the state will make $450 million available immediately to hospitals in low-interest loans to help them stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wolf said some hospitals have been struggling financially after eliminating elective surgeries to help slow the spread of the virus, which has killed 416 people statewide as new cases and deaths continued to rise.
“Some of them are on thin ice, Wolf said. “We want to make sure they continue to make payroll, especially the smaller hospitals.”
Wolf said Pennsylvania owes it to hospital workers “to do everything we can to protect them.”
“You are our heroes right now. “Help them by staying home.”
The state recorded 78 new deaths from the virus Friday, and another six peopled have died from COVID-19 in Allegheny County, taking its death toll from the virus to 18.
The number of new cases dropped slightly that day to 29, taking the total in Allegheny to 788.
“We extend deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones, and our thoughts go out to all those who have been impacted,” the department stated in a news release.
Washington County saw three new cases of the virus, taking its total to 66. Greene County held steady at 21 cases, and no deaths have been reported in either county.
Westmoreland County’s number increased by a dozen cases, taking its total to 202. Westmoreland has recorded one COVID-19 death.
The number of new cases statewide dropped Friday by more than 200 from the previous day, state records show.
“Now more than ever, as we continue to see COVID-19 cases and deaths rise in Pennsylvania, we need Pennsylvanians to take action,” Levine said.
Levine said “staying home is the right thing to do,” when asked Friday if the parades that have been held by fire departments to cheer people up violated the state’s stay-home order.
Meanwhile, Wolf said hospitals were still preparing for a surge in new patients with the virus, that nearly 2,000 people were hospitalized with the disease on Friday.
“Hospitals across Pennsylvania should be focused on saving lives, not worrying about how to make ends meet until federal relief funds arrive months from now,” state Treasurer Joe Torsella said in a news release.
The loan program will be administered by the state Department of Community and Economic Development.