Philadelphia Officials Responding To Evidence Of Community Spread Of Coronavirus

Matt Petrillo reports.

METERS, KIOSK AND RESIDENTIALTIME LIMITS DUE TO THEOUTBREAK.LETS GET MORE NOW ON THERESPONSE TO WHAT OFFICIALS ARECALLING EVIDENCE OF THECOMMUNITY SPREAD OF THE VIRUSWITHIN PHILADELPHIA."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERMATT PETRILLO'S IN CENTER CITYWITH OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE.REPORTER: COMMUNITY SPREADIS WHEN A PERSON BECOMESINFECT IN THE CERTAIN AREA ANDHASN'T HAD ANY KNOWN CONTACTWITH ANY OTHER INFECTINDIVIDUALS, SO I ASKEDPHILADELPHIA'S HEALTHCOMMISSIONER WHERE THATCOMMUNITY SPREAD IS IN THISCITY.HE DIDN'T WANT TO ANSWER.NOBODY SHOULD THINK IT ISIN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD NOT MYNEIGHBORHOOD.LETS ASSUME THIS FIRE IS INTHE CITY.NUMBER OF PEOPLE, WITH THECORONAVIRUS IN PHILADELPHIA ISSTAND AT 18.MOST IN SELF ISOLATION JUSTONE BEING TREATED IN THEHOSPITAL.CITY OFFICIALS, ALSOREITERATED NONESSENTIALBUSINESSES, SHOULD REMAINCLOSED FOR AT LEAST THE NEXTTWO WEEKS.CENTER CITY WHICH IS USUALLYBUSTLING WITH PEOPLE LEAVINGWORK AND RUSHING HOME AFTERTHIS TIME OF THE DAY, NOWLOOKS MORE LIKE A GHOST TOWN.MANY RESTAURANT, COFFEEHOUSES, RETAIL SHOPS HAVESIGNS THAT READ WE ARE CLOSED.THE MARRIOTT ON MARKET STREETIS PENNSYLVANIA'S BIGGESTHOTEL WITH MORE THAN 1400ROOMS.BUT HOTEL UNION OFFICIALS SAYTHEY ONLY A FEW DOZEN PEOPLEARE THERE, CITY WIDE SEVERALHOTEL STAFF HAVE BEEN LAID OFFIN RECENT DAYS.INCLUDING THIS WITH MAN TOHAVE RECENTLY BOUGHT A HOUSE.SO TO NOT HAVE THAT MONEY,WOW IT IS LIKE WHAT DO YOU DO.I HAVE NO SAVINGS.I HAVE A BIG LOAN THAT I JUSTTOOK OUT.I HAVE TO PAY BACK CREDIT CARDDEBT, UTILITY, MORTGAGE.IT ACE LIEUTENANT ON MY PLATE.REPORTER: WHAT SHOULD THEYDO RIGHT NOW IF THEY DENT HAVEA INCOME.REGISTER FOR UNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS AS QUICKLY ASPOSSIBLE.REPORTER: THOUSANDS OFEMPLOYEES FROM PHILADELPHIA'SAIRPORT AND STADIUMS ARE JUSTAMONG THOSE HEADING TO THEUNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE.WE HAVE MORE ON THAT COMING UPON THAN "EYEWITNESS NEWS" ATHE 5:00.