NewsBreak Original

The increased spread of the Monkeypox virus in the community has become a cause of concern for health officials. Efforts are being made to trace back the spread after a third probable case has contracted the virus. Luckily, the risk associated with the virus is low.

Philadelphia's operating budget at risk with employment projections. Research from The Pew Charitable Trust found a wide variance of outcomes for Philadelphia's operating budget given the multiple projections of employment patterns, with some data showing that the city may face a significantly low difference between the $1.6 billion budget and its revenue. The research states that Philadelphia's next mayor may inherit a complex and potentially challenging financial situation.

City considering replacing street lights with LEDs. Philadelphia's City Council’s Committee on Finance approved a bill that will allow the city to enter into a contract with Philadelphia Energy Authority. The agreement would allow for the group to replace Philadelphia's streetlights with LEDs, something other major cities like New York have already done. The potential contract is estimated to cost around $90 million.

Even though the COVID vaccine gives you a good fighting chance against the infection, there are still chances of reinfection - something that Nevada residents are just coming to realize.

When the body determines that there is less oxygen, the kidney releases a hormone called EPO (Erythropoietin) which tells the body to produce more red blood cells that carry more oxygen. A protein called the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF), a protein in the gene that produces EPO, acts as a "turbo-charge" for hormone production, and the body is known to produce more red blood cells.

As Philadelphia health officials track another COVID subvariant, they are recommending that residents take precautions and wear masks while indoors in public places. The surge in cases in Europe plus the looming concern of spring break travel has officials worried that another wave of COVID is beginning to crest. While the city remains at an all-clear level for now, some are worried masking may go back to being required indoors.

Chester Co. judge removes five school board members over masks. A judge from the Chester County Court of Common Pleas ordered that all five Democrats on the county school board be removed due to a petition from a parent based on their continued implementation of mask mandates. However, the school board insisted it was a "procedural result" and that special counsel would be brought in to represent the five potentially ousted members.

Masking up against COVID in public schools is about to move from current events to history. Once they head home from school on Friday, March 11, Sonoma County students can ditch their masks. That's because broad rules requiring students to 'mask-up' at public schools throughout California, Oregon and Washington, are set to expire when clocks strike midnight a week from Saturday.

In a handful of locations across the United States, Apple stores are abandoning their in-store mask mandate policy as reported by Bloomberg. This means that consumers will no longer be required to wear their masks while visiting the store.

Welcome to The Philly Four, a daily recap of four of the top stories from the Philadelphia area, covering everything from local government to the Phillies bullpen. A one-stop shop for the most important news bites in the City of Brotherly Love.