PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Department of Public Health today announced 451 additional presumptive confirmed cases of COVID-19 novel coronavirus in Philadelphia. That brings the number of confirmed cases to 9,014.

The Department of Public Health again noted clusters of positive cases in congregate settings, including nursing homes, behavioral health facilities, and the Department of Prisons. 10 additional inmates have tested positive. The current total of positive cases at correctional facilities is 61.

The Department of Public Health confirmed 45 additional fatalities in Philadelphia. This brings the number of residents who have succumbed to the virus in Philadelphia to 343. Of the 343 total deaths, 170 (50%) were long-term care facility residents.

The Department of Public Health reports 858 patients with COVID-19 are currently being treated in Philadelphia hospitals, with a total of 1,637 people hospitalized in the region (including Philadelphia).

City and PIDC Announce First Round of Small Business Grants and Loans: The City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) today announced that 1,145 small businesses have been awarded a total of $9.2 million in the first round of the COVID-19 Small Business Relief Fund. The Relief Fund is a $12.2 million grant and loan program designed to support Philadelphia small businesses, help maintain payroll obligations, and preserve jobs impacted by the spread of the COVID-19.

The businesses that have been approved for grants or loans from the first round of the Relief Fund include:

  • 870 Microenterprise Grants of up to $5,000 per business, worth a total of $3.3 million dollars.
  • 230 Small Business Grants of up to $25,000 per business, worth a total of $3.6 million dollars.
  • 45 Small Business Loans of up to $100,000 per business, worth a total of $2.3 million dollars.

“Philadelphia’s small businesses are the backbone of our city’s economy, and they have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “These grants and loans will provide a much-needed lifeline to some of them. Through this targeted program, we’re able to spread limited resources to help a diverse group of more than 1,100 businesses in neighborhoods all across the city.”

The Relief Fund received more than 7,300 applications in total. Only businesses that applied before March 31 were reviewed for the first round of awards. Applications were evaluated using a specific scoring criteria that prioritized and weighted a variety of factors including: businesses that experienced a high loss of revenue (more than 50 percent), are in highly-impacted industries, and are located in a low- to moderate-income (LMI) or high poverty area (above 25 percent). Additional criteria included having a plan for recovery and a commitment to retaining their employees as long as possible.

“When it became clear that the COVID-19 crisis would be an unprecedented challenge for our local neighborhood businesses, it was critical to act quickly to provide support in the fastest, fairest, and most efficient way possible,” said Sylvie Gallier Howard, Acting Commerce Director for the City of Philadelphia. “With these awards, we’re hopeful that more than 1,100 small businesses have the opportunity to stay in business and preserve jobs.”

The businesses that received awards stretch across Philadelphia, with 50 percent located in low-to-moderate income census tracts. Of the nearly 80 percent of business owners who reported demographic information, 60 percent of the awards went to minority-owned businesses, and 34 percent went to woman-owned businesses. Awards were given to businesses from a diverse set of industries including food and hospitality, personal services, retail, and many more.

“We are very proud of this collaborative effort and our ability to quickly react to the needs of entrepreneurs and small business owners across Philadelphia to support them during this unprecedented crisis,” said Anne Bovaird Nevins, President of PIDC. “In particular, this program has been able to help get funds to women- and minority-owned businesses that have struggled to access other funding opportunities.”

Beginning March 31, because of overwhelming demand, the Relief Fund limited eligibility only to  Microenterprise Grants of up to $5,000. Applicants for the Microenterprise Grants between March 31 and the final April 15 deadline are currently being reviewed, with decisions expected in the next two weeks. An additional 600 businesses are expected to be awarded in the second round.

The Philadelphia COVID-19 Small Business Relief Fund was launched on March 23. A total of $12.2 million will be disbursed to local small businesses, thanks to funding from the City of Philadelphia and PIDC, as well as generous contributions from The Daniel B. and Florence E. Green Foundation, Citizens Bank, PNC Foundation, and the Knight Foundation. Most recently, M&T Bank and BB&T, now Truist, contributed a collective $162,500 to the Relief Fund this week.

Additional resources for businesses can be found here. The City will continue to advocate for additional relief options for businesses of all sizes through the state and federal government, as well as other sources.

Resources for workers have been added to the phila.gov/covid-19 page. A blog post will be updated with additional resources as they become available. The post includes a survey for workers affected by COVID-19 to gain more information about the impact. The survey is available in multiple languages.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): The City’s Emergency Operations Center Logistics Section received a delivery of PPE including 86,400 N95 masks, hand sanitizer, and other supplies from FEMA and are working to inventory the items today. The masks will go to frontline workers like healthcare staff and first-responders in the City’s COVID-19 coronavirus response.

Today, the Logistics Section is distributing three-ply masks, face shields, and gowns to area hospitals from previous inventory. Three-ply masks and gloves for staff at health-related facilities are also being distributed.

Testing Sites: The City-run location in Center City continues to serve those who are over the age of 50 and are displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 coronavirus, as well as health care workers who are displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 coronavirus. The site is available by appointment only and a referral is required. Those who meet the criteria and want a test can call (267) 491-5870 to obtain a referral.

There are also more than 20 private testing sites across the city run by hospital systems and other organizations.

COVID-19 Resources:

Resources for Media:

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