US overtakes China as country with highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases and more corona-related news

RT
Thu, 26 Mar 2020 06:37 UTC

© Reuters / Stefan Jeremiah

People wait in line to be tested for Covid-19 while wearing protective gear, outside Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York City

The US has topped the list of nations with the most coronavirus cases, as the number of those infected within the country crept past 85,000 cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The grim milestone was achieved on Thursday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, which puts the US at 85,840 cases of the virus, surpassing Italy at 80,589 and China at 81,782.

Comment: It's not really a "grim milestone." The more people you test, the more that are likely to test positive.

With 150 new fatalities reported so far on Thursday alone, Covid-19 has killed a total of 1,177 Americans to date. Thursday also saw cases worldwide soar beyond half a million, with more than 525,000 infections reported around the globe.

US President Donald Trump, when asked about the new tally, said the uptick in cases was "a tribute to our testing," suggesting ramped-up screenings for the virus throughout the country had driven the surge in newly confirmed infections. The president also sounded skepticism over figures provided by China, where the outbreak originated, stating "I'm sure you're not able to tell what China's testing and not testing."

Though China led the world in infections from December, when the outbreak erupted in the city of Wuhan, till now, the sweeping quarantine measures appeared to pay off and daily tallies fell.

As restrictions grow tighter across American communities, China has gradually lifted its own, allowing 60 million residents in Hubei province - Covid-19's first epicenter - to return to work and businesses to reopen this week. An influx of coronavirus cases imported from abroad, however, prompted authorities to temporarily close China's borders to foreigners on Thursday, also limiting all airlines to a single weekly flight in and out of the country starting this weekend.

Italy has since become the top Covid-19 hot spot, facing one of the world's highest fatality rates and a wave of patients that overwhelmed the country's healthcare system. With a population around five times greater than Italy's, however, the US has rapidly overcome the Mediterranean nation, with major clusters spreading across dozens of states.

Widespread lockdowns and stay-at-home orders have ground large sectors of the US economy to a halt, driving more than 3 million Americans to apply for unemployment benefits, smashing previous records - including at the height of the 2008 financial meltdown. A $2 trillion stimulus package passed by the Senate on Wednesday night looks to alleviate some of the pressure, sending $1,200 checks to anyone earning less than $75,000 annually, providing billions in loan guarantees to small businesses and setting aside funds for expanded testing for the virus, among other measures.

Comment: Italy has rejected an EU proposal to help them deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus, saying it "doesn't go far enough." Germany pathetically offered to take in a handful of coronavirus patients from Italy, a hollow gesture if there ever was one. In Florida, 2 poll workers tested positive. Authorities have recommended anyone who casted ballots in the primary to get tested. The IRGC chief called out Pompeo for spreading "misinformation" after the Sec. of State claimed they were helping Iran, saying "they [Americans] are entangled with the spread of this virus and their sanitary and health infrastructures are not able to protect its people in the face of this phenomenon."

Trump announced he would not let Boeing go out of business due to the massive drop in flights. The company has already seen a huge drop in its stock after they had to ground their 737 Max aircraft after 2 crashes last year and the discovery of many issues in the production of the airplane. The Iranian FM urged the world to ignore the US sanctions against the country, calling the need to help Iran a "moral imperative." Germany has seen a surge in new cases of over 5,000 in one day with 55 deaths.