New York to shut down as it becomes next Coronavirus hot spot

New York City's mayor prepared Monday to order his city behind closed doors in an attempt to slow a pandemic that has swept across globe and threatened to make city of 8.5 million one of world's biggest coronavirus hot spots. Officials worldwide warned of a critical short of medical supplies.

Mayor Bill de Blasio also called for getting everything from masks to gowns, as well as doctors and or medical workers to New York City, and asked President Donald Trump to have U.S. military take over logistics of making and distributing medical supplies.

“I can't be blunt eugh. If president doesn't act, people will die who could have lived orwise,” de Blasio told NBC's “Meet Press.” top infectious disease expert in U.S. promised New York City and or hardest-hit places that critical supplies will t run out.

medical supplies are about to start pouring in and will be “clearly directed to those hot spots that need it most,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CBS' “Face Nation.”

But Fauci and or emergency officials did t give hard figures on number of masks or anything else on ir way. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged federal officials to step in quickly as hard-hit states outbid each or for ever scarcer supplies, sometimes doubling or tripling prices.

In Washington, negotiators from Congress and White House resumed top-level talks on a $1.4 trillion ecomic rescue pack, urged by President Donald Trump to strike a deal to stey a nation upended by coronavirus pandemic.

Trump appeared confident about nation's ability to defeat pandemic soon even as health leers ackwledged that U.S. was where near peak of outbreak.

Worldwide, more than 316,000 people have been infected and nearly 13,600 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. About 150 countries w have confirmed cases, and deaths have been reported in more than 30 American states.

re were more than 27,000 cases across U.S. and 375 deaths. New York state accounted for 114 deaths, mostly in New York City, where re were more than 4,400 infections, but officials warned concentration may be more because of increased testing.

On Sunday, New York passed Washington state, initial epicenter of U.S. outbreak, in number of fatal cases. Only China, Italy and Spain have reported more COVID-19 cases than U.S.

Cuomo spent Saturday scouting places to build makeshift hospitals and told existing hospitals to figure out ways to increase ir current beds by at least 50% because predictions from health officials are COVID-19 cases needing vanced medical care will top 100,000 in New York state in next month or so, which is more than double current number.

Meanwhile, de Blasio urged New York City to shut down at 5 p.m. Sunday except for essential services and workers.

But with danger an invisible virus inste of billowing smoke or blowing sw, New Yorkers were still garing in large groups in parks, playing basketball or having block parties. Similar scenes played out around country.

Cuomo said he was stunned and offended as he toured city Saturday and gave local officials a day to figure out a plan wher it be closing parks, closing playgrounds or opening streets, typically teeming with traffic but w quiet, only to pedestrians.

“It's insensitive. It's arrogant. It's self-destructive. It's disrespectful to or people," Cuomo said. “It has to stop and it has to stop w.”

Along with staggering numbers, re were individual reminders Sunday of reach of virus. Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky became first U.S. senator to anunce he was infected.

Opera superstar Plácido Domingo anunced he has COVID-19 and German Chancellor Angela Merkel put herself into quarantine after a doctor who gave her a vaccine tested positive.

Elsewhere in world, coronavirus rd on. Italy and Iran reported soaring new death tolls.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte went on live TV to anunce that he was tightening country's lockdown. Italy w has more than 59,000 cases and 5,476 deaths.

''We are facing most serious crisis that country has experienced since World War II,'' Conte told Italians during a brocast at midnight.

Iran's supreme leer refused U.S. assistance Sunday to fight virus, citing an unfounded conspiracy ory that it could be me by America. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments came as Iran faces crushing U.S. sanctions over its nuclear actions. Iran says it has 1,685 deaths and 21,638 confirmed cases of virus — a toll that experts from World Health Organization say is almost certainly under-reported.

For most people, new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever or coughing. For some, especially older ults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. Some 93,800 people have recovered, mostly in China.

In Croatia, a strong earthquake measuring 5.3 near Zagreb caused evacuation of hospitals and widespre dam. Health Minister Vili Beros warned people fleeing ir homes to avoid congregating in public places.

“Earthquakes are dangerous, but coronavirus is even more so,” Beros said. Seventeen injuries but deaths were reported. 

(Im Credits: AP)