Bomb Squad Clears 'Suspicious' Package at Hospital

Officials have determined the 'suspicious' package found at the Kasych Family Pavilion at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest is 'non-threatening,' the hospital says.

Salisbury Township Police and the Allentown Bomb Squad were called to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest Thursday morning to investigate a "suspicious" package found on the first floor of the Kasych Family Pavilion, but the package was found to be safe, police and the hospital said in news releases. Police were called at 10:22 a.m., the hospital issued an alert and evacuated the area above and below where the package was found—in a Ladies Room in the Kasych building. By 1 p.m. the building was declared safe as the Allentown Bomb Squad determined the "suspicious" package was harmless, police said. Salisbury Police will do additional processing on the package's contents, the police release said. Police did not say what type of package had …

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Bomb Squad Detonates LVH 'Suspicious' Package

Authorities find 'suspicious' package posed no threat, Salisbury police said.

Updated 10:30 a.m. The Allentown Bomb Squad detonated and "rendered safe" what appeared to be a "suspicious" package found Sunday night in a Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest parking lot, Salisbury Township police said. There were no threats to staff or patients. The investigation determined the package contained personal belongings, not hazardous or suspicious contents, police said in a release Monday. Salisbury Police were initially called to the hospital at 8:15 p.m. to investigate a report of a "suspicious" person in parking lot K. During the police check, a "suspicious" bag was found between two vehicles inside the parking lot. Lehigh Valley Health Network was able to locate one of the vehicle's owners, who said the package did not …

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Man Kills Wife, Self at LVH Hospice, DA Says

An elderly man shot and killed his wife, a hospice patient, at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Allentown Tuesday afternoon, then killed himself, according to Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin and a hospital official.

An elderly man shot and killed his wife, then himself, in a hospice room at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Allentown around 1 p.m. Tuesday, Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin and a hospital official said. The man's wife was a patient at the hospice. No other patients were harmed or threatened in the apparent murder-suicide, the hospital's senior vice president, Chuck Lewis, said in a statement. "This is a very tragic event," Lewis said, "and our hearts go out to the family of the deceased and our Lehigh Valley Health Network colleagues who were involved." Elwood Osman, 86, of 573 Cherryville Road, Cherryville, was pronounced dead at 1:41 p.m. by Deputy Coroner Paul F. Hoffman, according to a release from the Lehigh County Coroner's …

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Flu Blamed in 2 Lehigh County Deaths

Statistics released Tuesday show 35 flu-related deaths last week, including two in Lehigh County. But health officials say the number of reported flu cases is going down.

  Two people died from flu-related complications in Lehigh County in the past week, as the number of flu cases statewide declined, the state Department of Health reported Tuesday.  No deaths were reported in Northampton County. Also, Lehigh Valley Hospital spokesman Brian Downs said Tuesday that an infant who died at the hospital earlier this month did not have the flu, as earlier believed. Initial indicators had pointed to the flu, Downs said, but test results were "negative for flu." Read More: Flu Outbreak Leads to Visitor Restrictions at Hospital in Lehigh Valley Statewide, there were 35 flu-related deaths in the past week, bringing to 75 the total number of flu-related deaths this season, from Oct. 2 through Jan. 19. Confirmed flu …

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Flu Update: LVH and St. Luke's Restrict Hospital Visitors

People under 18 are not permitted to visit Lehigh Valley Hospital and St. Luke's Hospitals under new temporary restrictions.

Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Luke's University Health Network announced Monday that their hospitals are temporarily restricting visitors because of community-wide surges in the the flu and flu-like illnesses. Both networks said in prepared releases that visitors under age 18 will not be permitted in the hospitals. Also, people with flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, body aches) should not to come to the hospital to visit patients. Lehigh Valley Hospital said the visitation restrictions apply to hospital inpatient areas only and do not affect outpatient, procedure, treatment, diagnostic or pharmacy locations. St. Luke's University Health Network said the visitor restrictions are in effect at St. Luke’s Hospital – …

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Diane Roberts

2:26 pm on Monday, January 21, 2013

Westfield Hospital, in Allentown, changed their visitation policy on January 10 when the surge in flu became imminent. Westfield also has restricted visitors, under the age of 18, to visit with those admitted and has asked that anyone who has a cough or flu-like symptoms not visit patients at the hospital. Westfield Hospital, who normally permits 24/7 visitation, reduced its visitng hours from 10…   more ›

40 Flu Deaths in Pa. - Did You Get Your Flu Shot?

Statistics released Tuesday from the state Department of Health show flu cases continue to rise locally and across Pennsylvania.

  The number of flu cases in the Lehigh Valley and throughout Pennsylvania continues to climb, according to new state data released Tuesday. The state health department reported Tuesday that there were another 18 influenza-related deaths last week, bringing to 40 the total number of flu-related deaths this season, through Jan. 12. The state Health Department website did not indicate any deaths in Lehigh and Northampton counties, nor any pediatric flu-related deaths. However, an infant had died from flu-related complications in early January at Lehigh Valley Hospital, a hospital spokesman confirmed last week. Most of the reported deaths were among those 65 and older, the state health officials said.  The state Department of Health put the …

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Patch reader

7:41 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013

"My wife is an RN with a master's degree and over 30 years of experience. She sees the results in the long-term acute care setting. EVERY patient she's seen in recent years, paralyzed and on a ventilator, with Guillain Barre syndrome had RECENTLY had the flu shot! EVERY ONE! " I agree with Carl (and his wife). The flu shots aren't always as safe as the CDC would like us to believe. Read these …   more ›

Infant Dies from Flu-Related Complications

Lehigh Valley Hospital spokesman Brian Downs confirms that an infant died from flu-related complications over the weekend.

  An infant died from flu-related complications over the weekend at Lehigh Valley Hospital, LVH spokesman Brian Downs confirmed Wednesday. He could not provide further information, citing confidentiality. The infant's death would not have been included in statewide statistics released Tuesday that put the number of influenza-related deaths at 22 this season through Jan. 5, including 18 deaths last week. The state Health Department, on its website, said in that report that no pediatric flu-related deaths had yet been reported and that most of the deaths were among those 65 and older. This season's surge in flu cases prompted Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township to set up a mobile tent this week outside its Emergency Room to handle …

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tamarya

12:45 pm on Monday, January 21, 2013

I agree mom of DnNnd that is just info that I received from pediatrician at time my kids were born, however that was 8 1/2 yrs ago the last was born and I know things change daily lol. My daughter also had health issues so I am sure it was different for me than if she has a healthy baby.   more ›

LVH Sets Up Separate ER for Flu Patients

An influx of patients suffering from flu-like illness has prompted Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest to set up a mobile tent outside the emergency department to treat patients.

Parents Who Took Baby from LVH Charged With Endangering Welfare

April Saul and Daniel Rivera of Pottstown face criminal charges after allegedly taking their seriously ill daughter from Lehigh Valley Hospital without permission, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney's office.

  The parents of a seriously ill infant were charged Wednesday with endangering the welfare of a child for removing their daughter from Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest against medical advice in October, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney's office. April Saul, 42, and Daniel Rivera, 43, of 319 Chestnut St., Apt. 2, Pottstown, were also charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly using obscene language in the pediatric intensive care unit of LVH and engaging in “tumultuous behavior in view of extremely ill children, family and medical persons,” according to a prepared release. Salisbury Township police were called to the hospital Oct. 23 to investigate a report of a baby abduction. The charges were filed after an …

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april saul

3:06 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Ben Miller: We didn't almost kill our baby.We NEVER wouldve conducted ourselves disorderly or threatening.You read a biased one sided story all twisted up full of lies.Also,the baby WAS and IS in our custody.So please get that straight.Just because you read something in the media or online does not mean its true Mr. Miller! It is a good thing that family court saw things our way and we got our …   more ›

Police: Baby Abducted From Lehigh Valley Hospital, Returned

Allentown Police stopped a vehicle and returned a baby to Lehigh Valley Hospital after receiving a report that a small child had been taken 'against medical advice,' Salisbury police said.

Allentown Police returned a baby to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest neonatal intensive care unit Tuesday after it was apparently abducted earlier in the day, according to a press release from the Salisbury Township Police Department. Meanwhile, police are looking for a 10-month-old girl who was abducted Oct. 22 from her apartment in King of Prussia and for the killer of her 61-year-old grandmother whose body was found in the apartment. According to the Salisbury Township Police Department press release: "The Salisbury Township Police Department was dispatched to the Lehigh Valley Health Network, Cedar Crest facility, in response to a report of a child abduction. The Salisbury Police received a complaint from hospital security reporting …

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StGabes

10:08 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012

Really? You're going to compare a pot smoking parent to this? You're correct people should go crazy when your rights are taken away.. It's been long over due, it's a great thing people are starting to realize and are waking up to this thing called government... They've been bulling us long enough..... NO MORE!!!!! I and a lot of other people are fed up with the BS.... and a lot of laws on the …   more ›