US has recorded highest number of people ever to die of Covid19 in a single day. Trump admin recommends face-covering. Scientists say a breakthrough is at least 12-18 months away
New York, April 4, 2020 (IANS) With 1321 COVID19 deaths between Thursday and Friday, the US has recorded the highest number of people ever to die of the disease in a single day.
During the period, the total US death toll increased from 6071 to 7392, according to Worldmeters.com, which tracks the pandemic statistics, while the number of confirmed cases rose from 2,44,877 to 2,77,161, an increase of 32,284.
During the same period globally the total number of confirmed cases rose by 83,247 from 1,015 to 1,098, and deaths increased by 5979 from 53172 to 59151.
According to France 24, the previous record for the most COVID-19 deaths was Italy’s, where 969 people had died of the disease on March 27.
New York State had the highest number of COVID-19 cases recording a total of 1,03,476 cases on Friday, an increase of 10,423 from Thursday, according to Worldmeters. Total deaths increased by 680 to 3,218, which is almost half the number of mortalities in the US.
Italy, which has recorded the highest number of total deaths in the pandemic, saw the toll increase by 766 to 14,681 on Friday, while Spain recorded an increase of 850 to 11,198, according to Worldmeters.
China, where the pandemic began and is now ebbing, reported a total of only 3,322 deaths from COVID-19 on Friday, showing an increase of only 4.
Trump admin recommends face covering
BY NIKHILA NATARAJAN
US President Donald Trump announced new guidelines on Friday recommending that Americans wear face coverings while in public to battle the spread of the coronavirus pandemic but made it clear that he is “choosing not to do it”.
“It’s a recommendation. It’s voluntary. I just don’t want to wear one myself”, Trump said, reflecting the mood of the fairly long drawn debate on the subject at the highest levels of the US government.
The New York metro area remains the epicenter of the outbreak in the US. Its high population density, tourist traffic in the early months of the year before border controls kicked in, and surface transmission from a robust public transport system have been cited by public health experts as crucial ingredients of the virus’ deadly blow.
Facing severe shortage of intensive care equipment, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is taking one of the most aggressive steps yet in the US battle against COVID-19. Cuomo said he would sign an executive order to take ventilators that aren’t being used.
Cuomo has said New York could run out of ventilators next week. Louisiana’s governor said New Orleans could be down to zero supply by Tuesday. Global shortages of masks, gowns and ventilators have led to intense competition among buyers from all over.
The race is on to find a vaccine, but America’s leading scientists say a breakthrough is at least 12-18 months away. Social distancing guidelines are in place but compliance differs across state lines.
The new guidelines on face coverings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) come basis evolving research that indicates pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic spread of the virus.
White House coronavirus task force co-ordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said early and effective social distancing compliance in California and Washington State have controlled the outbreak in those states. “We do see that their curve is different,” she said.
“Their curve is different from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. And we really believe that the work that every citizen is doing in those states is making a difference.” (Edited)
(Nikhila Natarajan can be reached at @byniknat)
