The US seems to be entering a grim dark phase of the coronavirus pandemic as the number of confirmed cases now skyrocket daily, and with that, also the number of those killed by the outbreak.
Yesterday the US reported 1,480 deaths, higher than the previous highest record of 1,169 the day before. The US now has more than 265,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the highest in the world making it the new epicenter.
All citizens were advised to wear masks even in public as experts now believe that the virus could be spread in normal breathing or during normal conversations with people, not necessarily only when someone coughs or sneezes.
According to experts, the droplets from an infected person can linger in the air for a few hours hence the need for everyone to wear masks at all times in public places. Anthony Fauci, who is leading the government’s scientific response, backed recent scholarship that found SARS-CoV-2 can be suspended in the ultrafine mist formed when people exhale.
Among other measures, New York the hardest hit is planning to seize all medical equipment in private hospitals and institutions to be used during the crisis. New York Governor says such equipment would be returned or payed for by the state.
President Donald Trump said the government recommendation for all 330 million Americans to wear non-medical masks in places such as grocery stores would last “for a period of time.”
US Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the decision came because many people with the virus were showing no symptoms, but warned it was still vital to practice “social distancing” by maintaining space between people.
More than 57,000 people have died from Covid-19 since it was first detected late last year.
Worse may be coming as a quarter of global infections are in the United States, where Trump has warned of a “very, very painful” first two weeks of April.
Europe reached the dark milestone of 40,000 dead, with Spain on Friday reporting more than 900 deaths in the past 24 hours.
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