Published 11:21 IST, April 24th 2020
Donald Trump: Finalized 3 contracts to produce 39 million N95 masks in 90 days
President Donald Trump announced on April 23 that his administration had finalised three contracts to produce 39 million more N95 masks in 90 days.
Advertisement
United States President Donald Trump announced that his administration had finalised three contracts to produce 39 million more N95 masks. Trump also revealed that the whole production would take place in a mere 90 days. As of now the COVID-19 pandemic has infected 8,86,709 and resulted in 50,243 fatalities across 50 states of America.
Out of the total infected cases, 85,922 have recovered. The state of New York continues to remain the most affected followed by New Jersey and Massachusetts. On April 23, while speaking at the White House briefing, the American leader showed his optimistic side and said, “We will defeat this plague and restore the full measure of American power and prosperity". He then lauded the “heroic officials” battling the disease on the front line. He also advised citizens to remain vigilant in order to keep up the momentum in the battle against the viral pandemic.
Trump, recently, indicated that the stay-at-home order might be extended beyond May 1, but advocated the need to gradually open up the economy that is safe. In the past few weeks, more than 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits and the figure is soon likely to cross 40 million, as per some estimates, international media reported. Both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have projected a negative growth in the US in 2020.
'Not letting our guard down'
"Safe and phased reopening of our economy it's very exciting, but it does not mean that we are letting down our guard at all in any way; on the contrary, continued diligence is an essential part of our strategy to get our country back to work to take our country back,” Trump told reporters at his daily White House news conference on coronavirus.
The data and facts on the ground suggest that the US is making great progress, he said. In 23 states, new cases have declined. In the peak week, 40 per cent of American counties have also seen a rapid decline in new cases. As many as 46 states report a drop in patients showing coronavirus-like symptoms, he said. Trump said that the US is very close to finding a vaccine for COVID-19.
11:31 IST, April 24th 2020