Daily US Times: New York state’s single-day death toll jumps a new high on Saturday. At least 630 people have died from the virus there, making the death toll rose at a devastating pace to 3,565 deaths, up from 2,935 the previous day.
New York City alone has recorded 63,306 positive cases, while the state as a whole has so far recorded 113,704. The vast number is just 6,000 short of hard-hit Italy’s total number of cases.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said infections could peak in the state in anywhere from four to 14 days.
“Part of me would like to be at the apex and just let’s do it,” Cuomo said in his daily briefing on Saturday. ”But there’s part of me that says it’s good that we’re not at the apex because we’re not yet ready.”
Mr Cumo added that the federal government will now staff and equip the overflowing hospital at Manhattan’s Javits Center for treatment of those infected with the coronavirus. The facility can take in 2,500 patients.
Chinese government donated 1,000 life-saving devices expected to arrive on Saturday. The governor thanked China for that.
The state is continuing its hunt for urgently needed ventilators.
Billionaire Joseph Tsai, Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma, and Chinese government facilitated a gift of 1,000 ventilators.
Cuomo said, “It’s going to make a significant difference for us,” adding that New York’s stockpile of ventilators would be exhausted in six days if the number of critically ill coronavirus patients kept growing at the current rate.
85,000 volunteers – including 22,000 from out of the state – had signed up to help in the country’s coronavirus epicenter, the governor said.
On Saturday, the city sent a wireless emergency alert to its 8.6 million residents urging licensed healthcare workers to volunteer.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio urged “anyone who’s not already in this fight, we need you,” imploring help from “any healthcare professional: doctor, nurse, respiratory therapist, you name it.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has warned that more and more deaths are coming in the next week.
He told reporters at the White House on Saturday: “There will be a lot of death, unfortunately. This will be probably the toughest week – between this week and next week.”
The US has reported more than 8,000 deaths from the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus, known as COVID-19.
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