INSIDE THIS REPORT:

• Governor takes emergency order legal case to Supreme Court
• The weekend’s COVID-19 numbers and links

Governor takes legal case over emergency orders to Supreme Court
Gov. Tom Wolf late Friday afternoon asked the state Supreme Court to rule quickly in his battle with the General Assembly over ending his emergency declaration over the coronavirus pandemic.  Wolf asked the Court to rule that the  resolutions passed with bipartisan support and aimed at eliminating his COVID-19 declaration and its restrictions without his consent are legally void.

The General Assembly refused to submit the concurrent resolution to the Governor, instead sending a copy to the Secretary of the Commonwealth for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.  Wolf contends that the action violates the state constitution.  Because he was not presented with the resolution (which he would have vetoed), Wolf claims it has no legal force, and he is refusing to end the emergency declaration limiting public activity to curb the spread of the virus.

Wolf’s taking the question straight to the Supreme Court is unusual, because the State Senate had already filed suit in Commonwealth Court demanding he be ordered to comply with the resolution.  Under normal circumstances, any suits would go to Commonwealth Court, with an appeal to the Supreme Court possible only after the lower court issued a decision.  Earlier Friday, Commonwealth Court had expedited the process for the Senate suit, and given Wolf until Thursday, June 18 to respond to the Senate filing.  The Senate said this weekend that they welcome the Supreme Court’s involvement.   In May, ruling in Friends of Danny Devito v. Wolf, the Court opinion said, “We note that the Emergency Code temporarily limits the Executive Order to 90 days unless renewed and provides the General Assembly with the ability to terminate the order at any time.”

Wolf argued that there’s no time for that process, and that the Supreme Court should end the controversy as soon as possible because the public is being confused, and it’s exacerbating the public health risk.  Wolf said that continued curbs on public activity are a critical need, with COVID-19 still active and spreading.  Lifting his restrictions, he argues, could prove catastrophic.

The Concurrent resolutions, if given legal standing, would “upend the commonwealth’s carefully planned reopening process, a move that experts have declared will further hurt our state economy and cost lives,” Wolf’s filing states.

Realistically, even if the Court rules against Wolf, he could immediately file another emergency declaration after rescinding the existing one, and the process would start over.  He noted that despite the concurrent resolutions, the emergency declaration and guidance issued by Health Secretary Rachel Levine remains in place and legally binding.

Sunday’s Department of Health Data Report
On Sunday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed that as of 12:00 a.m. June 14 there were 336 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 78,798. Approximately 5,982 of our total cases are in health care workers.  All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 16,578 resident cases of COVID-19, and 2,929 cases among employees, for a total of 19,507 at 638 distinct facilities in 45 counties. A county breakdown can be found here.

There have been 6,215 total deaths reported among Pennsylvanians attributed to COVID-19, an increase of four new deaths since Saturday . Residents of nursing or personal care facilities account for 4,268 of those deaths. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

There are 630 patients who have had 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 504,435 patients who have tested negative to date.  Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Nearly 1% are ages 0-4;
• Nearly 1% are ages 5-12;
• Nearly 2% are ages 13-18;
• 6% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are ages 25-49;
• Nearly 25% are ages 50-64; and
• 28% 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.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Statewide – The Wolf Administration has since noon, June 12:

• Announce  State’s COVID response is succeeding because of measured, phased reopening.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, Reports, Information

• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Community preparedness and procedures materials
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

Saturday’s Data Report from the Department Of Health
On Saturday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed that as of 12:00 a.m. June 13 there were 463 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 78,462. Approximately 5,965 of our total cases have been in health care workers.  All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19. Nearly 74 percent of patients diagnosed have recovered.

In nursing and personal care homes, there have been 16,546 resident cases of COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak. There have been 2,920 cases among employees at 637 distinct facilities in 45 counties. A county breakdown can be found here.

There have been 6,211 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 49 new deaths. Out of our total deaths, 4,268 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

There are 630 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 496,589 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Nearly 1% are ages 0-4;
• Nearly 1% are ages 5-12;
• Nearly 2% are ages 13-18;
• 6% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are ages 25-49;
• Nearly 25% are ages 50-64; and
• 28% 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