US nears China's virus death toll as New York calls for help

mounting death toll from virus outbreak in United States had it poised Tuesday to overtake China's grim toll of 3,300 deaths, with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying up to 1 million more healthcare workers were needed. “Please come help us,” he urged.

Hard-hit Italy and Spain have already overtaken China and w account for more than half of nearly 38,000 COVID-19 deaths worldwide, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

But World Health Organization warned Tuesday that while attention has shifted to epicenters in Western Europe and rth America, coronavirus pandemic was far from over in Asia.

“This is going to be a long-term battle and we cant let down our guard," said Dr Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for Western Pacific. "We need every country to keep responding according to ir local situation.”

In Japan, countdown clocks were reset and ticking again for Tokyo Olympics after organizers anunced new dates following postponement from this summer. clocks read 479 days to go, with games w scheduled to kick off on July 23, 2021.

In New York City, Cuomo and health officials warned Monday that crisis unfolding re is just a preview of what or U.S. communities could soon face. New York State's death toll climbed by more than 250 people in a day Monday to more than 1,200, most of m in city.

“We've lost over one thousand New Yorkers," Cuomo said. "To me, we're beyond staggering already.”

Even before goverr's appeal, close to 80,000 former nurses, doctors and or professionals were stepping up to volunteer, and a Navy hospital ship had arrived with 1,000 beds to relieve pressure on overwhelmed hospitals.

News also came of first U.S. service member to die from disease. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said death of New Jersey Army National Guardsman strengned ir resolve to work more closely with partners to stop spread of COVID-19.

“This is a stinging loss for our military community,” Esper said in a release.

More than 235 million people — about two of every three Americans — live in 33 states where goverrs have declared statewide orders or recommendations to stay home.

In California, officials put out a similar call for medical volunteers as coronavirus hospitalizations doubled over last four days and number of patients in intensive care tripled.

“Challenging times are ahead for next 30 days, and this is a very vital 30 days," President Donald Trump told reporters Monday. “ more we dedicate ourselves today, more quickly we will emerge on or side of crisis.”

In contrast, crisis is continuing to ease in China. On Tuesday, officials in world's most populous nation reported just 48 new COVID-19 cases, all of m brought from overseas.

In Wuhan, people were ready to jump, cry and “revenge shop” as Chinese city once at center of global virus outbreak reopened.

“I’m so excited, I want to cry,” said one woman at Chuhe Hanjie pedestrian mall, where about 75% of shops had reopened. Shopkeepers were limiting number of people y were letting in, dispensing hand sanitizer and checking customers for signs of fever.

More than three-quarters of a million people worldwide have become infected and over 37,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins.

For most people, coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for ors, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, virus can cause severe symptoms like pneumonia. More than 160,000 people have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins.

Italy and Spain saw ir death tolls climb by more than 800 each on Monday, but WHO's emergency chief said cases re were “potentially stabilizing.” At same time, he warned against letting up on tough containment measures.

“We have to w push virus down, and that will t happen by itself,” Dr. Michael Ryan said.

Italy's death toll climbed to nearly 11,600. But in a bit of positive news, numbers showed a continued slowdown in rate of new confirmed cases and a record number of people recovered.

"We are saving lives by staying at home, by maintaining social distance, by traveling less and by closing schools," said Dr. Luca Richeldi, a lung specialist.

At least six of Spain's 17 regions were at ir limit of intensive care unit beds, and three more were close to it, authorities said. Crews of workers were frantically building more field hospitals.

Nearly 15% of all those infected in Spain, almost 13,000 people, are health care workers, hurting hospitals' efforts to help tsunami of people gasping for breath.

Ter Placido Domingo said Monday he is resting at home after catching new coronavirus.

"I feel fine," Domingo said in a statement.

79-year-old was reportedly hospitalized in Mexico after publicly ackwledging on March 22 that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and said he was going into isolation. He'd suffered from a fever and a cough.

opera singer's illness comes after his own glittering career had recently been marred by sexual misconduct revelations.

Israel said 70-year-old Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is quarantining himself after an aide tested positive for virus. And In Britain, Prince Charles, heir to throne who tested positive, ended his period of isolation and is in good health, his office said.

Moscow, meanwhile, locked down its 12 million people as Russia braced for sweeping nationwide restrictions.