10k deaths in US, but Trump stays positive
New York state’s governor Andrew Cuomo extends lockdown till April 29 while an upbeat US president says there’s ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ KAISER WILHELM II OF GERMANY QUEEN ELIZABETH I OF ENGLAND
nWASHINGTON/TORONTO: Americans braced themselves for the “hardest and saddest” week as fatalities from the coronavirus pandemic are expected to peak in some parts of the country over the coming days. However, US President Donald Trump sounded optimistic, insisting that he has seen “light at the end of the tunnel”, holding out hope of a turnaround “in not too distant future”.
US deaths crossed 10,000, with more than 4,150 dying in New York state by Sunday morning and 3,048 in New York City alone.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo declared that the lockdown in the state is extended till April 29. However, in a positive sign, the state registered a drop in single-day deaths on Sunday.
The number of confirmed cases in the US stood at more than 340,000, accounting for a fourth of the global number of cases at 1.3 million. The virus has claimed over 73,000 lives worldwide, including over 10,000 in the US.
New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Louisiana continued to be the hardest hit states and New York City, Detroit, New Orleans and Miami among the most impacted cities, with the national capital Washington, DC being cited as a growing concern.
Cuomo said on Sunday that new hospitalisations fell by 50% over the previous 24 hours, but he cautioned it was not clear whether the crisis was reaching a plateau. “This is going to be the hardest and saddest week,” US surgeon general Jerome Adams said. He went on to draw parallels with key moments in US history, saying, “This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it’s not going to be localised. It’s going to be happening all over the country.”
Fatalities are expected to peak this week in some parts of the country, health officials have said, from infections contracted around two weeks ago.
The Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, an independent body often cited by the White House task force, said the projected peak day is 10 days away, on April 16, when about 3,130 deaths have been projected nationwide. New York state is projected to peak on April 8 with projected fatalities of 878 on that day.
Trump, however, has sought to strike a note of optimism. He said, “We see light at the end of the tunnel. Things are happening. And hopefully in the not too distant future, we’ll be very proud of the job we all did.” He stressed his point the morning after with a Twitter post in allcaps: “LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.”
Asked if the US president’s optimism was contradictory to the spike in deaths being predicted by experts, Anthony Fauci, the epidemiologist who has emerged as the most trusted member of Trump’s task force, said, “I don’t think they’re so different. I think we all know that we have to reach a certain point. And that point is going to be a horrific point in terms of death. But it’s also a point at which things are going to start changing.”
In another development, US Navy commander Brett Crozier whose plea for help for his coronavirus-affected crew had led to his dismissal, has now himself tested positive for Covid-19.
In neighbouring Canada, the country’s senior most health official has said the government is planning to decontaminate medical gear for reuse.
PPE such as face masks keep medics safe. However the supply of such masks has become a matter of contention. Canada’s chief public health officer Theresa Tam has asked hospitals and medical facilities not to dispose of used masks since public health officials are looking into whether they can be disinfected for reuse.
At the same time, the Justin Trudeau government is looking at the possibility of holding virtual sessions of parliament to pass emergency legislation related to the crisis.
SEPTEMBER 3, 1939
The King's Speech
King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II, gave this speech on radio right after Britain’s declaration of war against Germany
JULY 31, 1914
Speech from the Balcony of the
Royal Palace, Berlin
In his speech, Kaiser Wilhelm II declared the start to what became World War I. Much later, he abdicated on November 9, 1918 shortly before Germany's defeat in WWI.
AUGUST 9, 1588