BUSY AMERICAN BEACHES SPARK COVID-19 COMEBACK CONCERNS
▶ US officials urge the country to adhere to ‘crucial’ measures to prevent resurgence of the virus
Authorities in the US have issued warnings the country is at risk of a resurgence of coronavirus after sun seekers disregarded social distancing measures at beaches and parks across the country while celebrating Memorial Day weekend.
Sheriff’s deputies and beach patrols tried to make sure people kept their distance from others as crowds gathered to take advantage of the good weather.
In the Tampa area along Florida’s Gulf Coast, crowds were so large authorities were forced to close car parks.
But on Sunday, Deborah Birx, who has co-ordinated the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force during the outbreak, appeared on talk shows and said she was “very concerned” about scenes of people crowding together at the weekend.
“We really want to be clear all the time that social distancing is absolutely critical. And if you can’t social distance and you’re outside, you must wear a mask,” she said on ABC show This Week.
In Missouri, people crammed into bars and restaurants at the Lake of the Ozarks, a holiday spot popular with residents of Chicago, at the weekend.
St Louis broadcaster KMOVTV showed a video of a pool in the area where people lounged close together without wearing masks.
On Saturday night, the revelry at Florida’s Daytona Beach was interrupted when at least five people were wounded in a shooting.
More than 200 people had gathered along a beachside road in the city to party and dance despite restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Authorities said those wounded in the shooting were taken to hospital for treatment but none were in serious condition.
“Disney is closed, Universal is closed. Everything is closed, so where did everybody come with the first warm day with 50 per cent opening? Everybody came to the beach,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said.
On Georgia’s Tybee Island, the beach was filled with cyclists and families who took advantage of the warm weather.
People also lined the pavement outside a bar, with most customers standing close together and none wearing face masks.
But at a nearby food shop, staff issued customers with gloves and a number to allow employees to keep track of how many people were inside at a time.
Shoppers wore their own face masks.
Officials in California said most people in the state covered their faces and kept their distance from others even as they ventured to beaches and parks.
Many Southern California beaches were open only for people who wanted to swim, run or engage in other types of exercise.
At New York City’s Orchard Beach, children played with toys and people sat in folding chairs. Some visitors wore winter coats because of the cool and breezy conditions and many people wore face masks and sat apart from others.
“It’s good to be outside. Fresh air. It’s just good to enjoy the outdoors,” said beachgoer Danovan Clacken, whose face was covered.
The US has recorded about 100,000 deaths among coronavirus patients.
By contrast, more than 169,000 people have died in Europe after becoming infected, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The New York Times described the US death toll as “an incalculable loss”.