US looks to testing before lifting curbs
The coronavirus outbreak could reach its peak in the US this week, a top US health official says, as more signs of stabilisation emerged, but political leaders say a reopening of the economy may hinge on more widespread testing.
The US, with the world’s third-largest population, has recorded the most fatalities from Covid-19 of any country, more than 22,000 up to Monday morning, according to a Reuters tally. The number of deaths reported on Sunday was 1,513, the smallest increase since 1,309 died on April 6.
The largest number of fatalities is still in and around New York, the most populous US city with about 8.4-million people.
“We are nearing the peak right now,” Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said. “You’ll know when you’re at the peak when the next day is less than the day before.”
Official statistics, which exclude deaths outside hospitals, have understated the actual number of people who have succumbed to Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, health experts said.
In New York City, the epicentre of the outbreak, three indicators have to show a sustained decline before the city could consider the outbreak to be in a less dangerous phase, mayor Bill de Blasio said.
Those indicators are the daily number of people admitted to hospitals, the number of people in intensive care units, and the percentage of positive tests for the virus.
“I’m pleased to report we do see all the indicators moving downwards together,” said De Blasio. He stressed the need for widespread testing before experts could be confident that the city could lift social-distancing restrictions.
Sweeping stay-at-home restrictions to curb the spread of the disease, in place for weeks in many areas of the US, have taken a toll on the economy. With businesses closed and curbs on travel, officials and legislators are debating when it might be safe to begin reopening some sectors.
New York health commissioner Oxiris Barbot acknowledged a “tightening” of the supply chain for swabs needed in coronavirus testing, and said it is part of an “international challenge” to ramp up testing.
“The most important is we won’t be able to get this over the finish line if we don’t have the supply that the mayor was calling for and the assistance from the federal government.”
To ease the impact of the shutdown on the US economy, the two top Democrats in the US Congress called on Republicans to authorise more funding for national testing for the coronavirus, which health experts say is crucial to begin to restart business operations.
Two days ago, Republicans renewed their push for a $250bn measure to help small businesses while doubling down on their opposition to Democratic efforts to broaden the legislation to include funds for testing.