Allegheny County sees another record high in COVID-19 cases

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Allegheny County, where officials ordered a halt to drinking alcohol in bars and restaurants due to what they call an “alarming” spike in COVID-19 cases, recorded another single-day record high of new cases reported Tuesday.

The county, which includes Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's second-most populous with 1.2 million residents, said it had confirmed another 109 cases for a total of 2,760 since early March.

Hospitalizations grew by nine, the county said.

The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, a trade association representing bars and restaurants with liquor licenses, on Sunday wrote to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and his top health official, Dr. Debra Bogen, to protest the halt to on-site alcohol consumption.

It is, they wrote, “an overly broad brush stroke that punishes law-abiding licensed restaurant owners, employees and patrons who have followed guidance provided by both state and local officials. They shouldn’t be punished because of the actions of a few 'bad actors.'”

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