HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday extended a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions by another two months, saying residents should not have to worry about losing their homes during the pandemic.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court first suspended evictions in March, but its order is set to expire Monday. Wolf signed an executive order Thursday extending the moratorium to July 10.

“No one should have to worry about losing their home during this health emergency,” Wolf said at a video news conference. “This executive order takes one more burden off people who are struggling and gives them more time to get back on their feet.”

Wolf noted that renters and homeowners are still required to make monthly payments.

The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, meanwhile, has stopped foreclosures and evictions and is allowing homeowners with a PHFA mortgage to pause payments if they are having financial trouble because of the virus outbreak.

Marlynn Orlando, the CEO of the Pennsylvania Apartment Association, said her organization typically dislikes government mandates but understands why Wolf issued the order.

Her organization had already been recommending to its members — mostly larger apartment complex owners — that they hold off on evictions until at least July 15, a date set by the federal emergency relief bill for property owners with Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae-backed mortgages who wanted to postpone mortgage payments.

[naviga:h3]Unemployment claims[/naviga:h3]

Self-employed people, gig workers and others not normally eligible for unemployment compensation were able to start filing backdated claims Thursday under a new federal benefits program being administered by the state.

Since March 15, more than 174,000 people have applied to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which is being administered by the state's unemployment compensation office. The state began accepting applications April 18 but wasn't able to pay benefits while it built out the system.

Work on the system was completed Thursday morning, and it is now fully operational, the Department of Labor & Industry said. Eligible workers should receive their initial payments within a week of filing their claims.

A record 1.7 million Pennsylvanians have filed for regular unemployment compensation since mid-March as the pandemic, and the state's efforts to contain it, caused economic devastation.

The following data about the coronavirus pandemic are compiled daily from the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s website and regular releases from Butler Health System.Thursday’s COVID-19 statistics:Butler CountyConfirmed cases: 190Negative tests: 2,625Deaths: 6PennsylvaniaNew cases: 1,070Total cases: 52,915New deaths: 310Total deaths: 3,416Negative tests: 209,873Butler Memorial HospitalInpatients: 7Suspected: 1Confirmed: 6ICU: 1Total tests: 3,073Outdoor tests: 2,105Positive tests: 216Clarion HospitalInpatients: 2Suspected: 0Confirmed: 2ICU: 0Total tests: 657Outdoor tests: 521Positive tests: 25Surrounding CountiesAllegheny: 1,439 confirmed cases, 18,402 negative test results, and 117 deathsArmstrong: 55 confirmed, 797 negative, and 3 deathsBeaver: 472 confirmed, 2,317 negative, and 78 deathsClarion: 23 confirmed, 535 negative, and 1 deathLawrence: 69 confirmed, 848 negative, and 7 deathsMercer: 70 confirmed, 857 negative, and 1 deathVenango: 7 confirmed and 276 negativeWestmoreland: 411 confirmed, 5,497 negative, and 29 deaths- The total cases includes confirmed and probable cases.- The total deaths and new deaths include only confirmed deaths, which is a person who tested positive for the virus before their death.