The coronavirus death toll has risen to 823 in the United States with more than 60,000 confirmed cases as the burdens of the pandemic continue to intensify across the country.
New figures released on Wednesday show that New York, which is the epicenter of the US outbreak, now has 50 percent of the country’s total confirmed coronavirus cases.
There are now more than 30,800 confirmed cases in New York and more than 17,800 in New York City alone. There are 285 deaths in New York, including 192 in the city.
Washington state, which was initially the epicenter following an outbreak at a Seattle nursing home, now has 2,472 confirmed cases and 125 deaths.
California is reporting 2,675 cases and 59 deaths, including the first child after a 17-year-old boy with no known pre-existing conditions died.
Texas has 1,150 cases and 14 deaths, while Florida is reporting 1,682 cases and 23 fatalities.
The coronavirus death toll has risen to 823 in the United States with more than 60,000 confirmed cases as the burdens of the pandemic continue to intensify across the country
New figures released on Wednesday show that New York, which is the epicenter of the US outbreak, now has 50 percent of the country’s total confirmed coronavirus cases
The US remains third behind China and Italy with the number of confirmed coronavirus cases.
The infection has killed nearly 20,000 people worldwide since the outbreak began in China in December.
The World Health Organization this week revealed a grim outlook for the United States, saying that the country could quickly become the global epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic given the ‘very large acceleration’ of confirmed infections.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday that more than 30,800 people had tested positive for the virus in his state, the epicenter of the US outbreak, and more than 17,800 in New York City alone.
The state has reported 285 deaths and half the country’s reported infections.
He said state measures to control the coronavirus appeared to be working as the rate of hospitalizations had slowed in recent days.
‘Now that is almost too good to be true…’ he said. ‘This is a very good sign and a positive sign, again not 100% sure it holds, or it’s accurate but the arrows are headed in the right direction.’
It comes as a makeshift morgue was set up outside Manhattan’s Bellevue hospital on Wednesday in a bid to handle any possible surge in coronavirus victims.
Armed military personnel and NYC Medical Examiner’s Office set up white tents and refrigeration trucks outside the hospital as health officials warned the city’s morgues were nearing capacity.
New York City also took aggressive new steps to battle the crisis on Wednesday by closing streets and asking people to stop playing basketball and other sports in public parks.
Gov Cuomo described street closures in New York City, where more than 8 million people live, as a pilot program. With closures to vehicles, the intention is to allow pedestrians to walk in the streets to enable greater ‘social distancing’ to avoid infections.
Across the country, roughly half of the US population have been affected by stay-at-home orders in at least 18 states. The sweeping orders are aimed at slowing the spread of the pathogen but have upended daily life as schools and businesses shutter indefinitely.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday that more than 30,800 people had tested positive for the virus in his state, the epicenter of the US outbreak, and more than 17,800 in New York City alone
A makeshift morgue was set up outside Bellevue Hospital in New York City hospital on Wednesday in a bid to handle any possible surge in coronavirus victims
Multiple refrigeration trucks were lined up at the makeshift morgue site along 30th Street and the FDR Drive parkway near Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan
The impact of the coronavirus is increasingly being felt beyond the hot spots of New York, California and Washington state with Louisiana and others facing a severe crush on their healthcare systems.
Louisiana, where large crowds last month celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans and other locations, reported a spike in infections with 1,388 total confirmed cases and 46 deaths as of mid-Tuesday.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued the latest major federal disaster declarations for Louisiana and Iowa late on Tuesday, freeing up federal funds to help states cope with the increasing number of cases of the dangerous respiratory disease caused by the virus that threaten to overwhelm state and local resources.
That brings to five the number of states receiving major disaster declarations. New York – the state with by far the most infections and deaths – was given such status last weekend as well as California and Washington state.
A number of other U.S. states have also applied for major disaster relief status in recent days including Florida, Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina, Missouri, Maryland and South Carolina, as well as Northern Mariana Islands U.S. territory.