Published 23:28 IST, March 18th 2020
New York state reports 1008 new cases of Coronavirus; Trump sends 2 military ships to aid
With New York in complete lockdown, the state governor Andrew Cuomo has announced 1008 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Wednesday, as per reports
With New York in complete lockdown, the state governor Andrew Cuomo has announced 1008 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Wednesday, as per international reports. In total, New York City alone has reported 1339 cases. Cuomo added that 108 people have recovered and have been discharged from the hospital.
New York state records 1008 new cases
Trump and Cuomo lock horns
Trump who had earlier downplayed Coronavirus's effects - terming it a 'Chinese virus' agreed with Cuomo on Tuesday, saying, "We’re both doing a really great job and we’re coordinating things”. He added that a “hotspot” of virus transmission in New York is “not the fault of anybody”. On Monday, Trump had lashed out at Cuomo on Twitter, stating “Cuomo of New York has to ‘do more’,” to which Cuomo hit back tweeting, “Happy to do your job, too. Just give me control of the Army Corps of Engineers and I’ll take it from there.”
Trump addresses Coronavirus press conference
Closing the US borders, Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States will be losing the border with Canada by mutual consent, at a White House press conference. Moreover, Trump has also invoked he was invoking the Defense Production Act with the FEMA active at level 1, across the nation. The Defense Production Act of 1950, a Korean War-era law reportedly authorises the president to take action to force the American industry to ramp up production of critical equipment and supplies such as ventilators, respirators and protective gear for health care workers.
Addressing New York's large scale Coronavirus pandemic, Trump announced that two military hospital ships - USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy, were dispatched to New York City. The Comfort reportedly houses 1,000 beds with 80 beds for intensive care. He also said the military had issued restrictions on international and domestic travel to all Department of Defense employees. Trump has also suspended all foreclosures and evictions until the end of April - offering “immediate relief to renters and homeowners".
Trump declares national emergency
Flanked by Vice President Mike Pence, various doctors, and CEOs, Trump formally declared National Emergency with a monetary package of $50 Billion to deal with the Coronavirus crisis in the country. The National Emergency granted the Secretary of Health and Human Services sweeping new powers which included the ability to waive the restrictions on telehealth and federal license restrictions and allows doctors from other states to provide services in different states. Immediately after three guests at a Mar-a-Lago event who have tested positive for COVID-19, Trump had been tested for the disease and has tested negative. As of date, the US has seen 7038 cases of positive cases and 97 total deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Updated 23:28 IST, March 18th 2020