9,325 dead, US braces for tough 2 weeks

Washington, April 5

The surge in Covid-19 cases continued today with the total number of infected rising to 12,36,795 and over 67,000 dead. USA, which is now one of the most affected countries, with a death toll of over 9,000, braced for tough times. President Donald Trump today warned Americans of the toughest next two weeks as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases crossed 3,00,000 mark.

“The next two weeks are going to be deadly. Unfortunately, but we are going to make it so that we lose as few lives as possible and I think we are going to be successful,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House that was also attended by Vice President Mike Pence.

New York, the hardest-hit state, reported on Sunday that there were nearly 600 new deaths for a total of 4,159 deaths and 1,22,000 total cases. Bodies of victims of COVID-19 were stacked in bright orange bags inside a makeshift morgue outside the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn. Governor Andrew Cuomo said the outbreak in the state could peak in about seven days.

Most states have ordered residents to stay home except for essential trips to slow the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, situation seemed to be improving in Italy and Spain as the number of fatalities showed a downward trend. Spain, saw its third consecutive daily decline in the number of deaths as the country recorded another 674 fatalities on Sunday.

In Tokyo, some 143 more cases were reported, with the highest daily jump bringing the number of cases in the Japanese capital to more than 1,000. —Agencies

China donates 1K ventilators to New York

Beijing: China has donated 1,000 ventilators to New York, as the authorities grappled with an insufficient supply of the life saving equipment. Governor Andrew Cuomo on Saturday said New York had ordered 17,000 ventilators from the federal government, which had a stockpile of about 10,000 ventilators for the nation. He said demand for the life-saving medical equipment surges across the US.

Australia’s death toll at 34

Melbourne: Australia’s coronavirus death toll stood at 34 on Sunday with 5,687 virus positive cases. Health officials from New South Wales confirmed that there were 2,580 total infections now in the state and four persons, including three passengers from Ruby Princess Cruise Ship, died on Saturday evening. During a virus update, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said, “This is a dangerous virus and still marching through our community. It has killed, at this stage in NSW, 16 persons.’’ The four men who died include a 91-year-old from Port Macquarie, an 80-year-old and a 76-year-old who were both being treated at Westmead Hospital and a 61-year-old being treated at Hornsby Hospital. A total of 10 passengers of the Ruby Princess Ship that arrived last month at NSW have died due to COVID-19 and it has been linked to 600 infected cases.

Cases rise to 2,899 in Pak

Islamabad: The number of cases in Pakistan rose to 2,899 on Sunday, officials said. As per the Ministry of National Health Services, 45 persons have died so far and 130 have recovered. While Punjab recorded 1,163 cases, Sindh reported 881, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 372, Balochistan 185, Gilgit-Baltistan 206, Islamabad 78 and 14 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).