US nears China's virus deaths as NY seeks 1 mn medics

Italy and Spain have overtaken China and now account for more than half of the nearly 38,000 COVID-19 deaths worldwide and now New York State's death toll climbed by over 250 people in a day on Monday to more than 1,200, most of them in the city.

New York: The mounting death toll from the virus outbreak in the United States had it poised on Tuesday to overtake China's grim toll of 3,300 deaths, with New York Governor 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 now account for more than half of the nearly 38,000 COVID-19 deaths worldwide, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

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

"This is going to be a long-term battle and we cannot let down our guard," said Dr Takeshi Kasai, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific. "We need every country to keep responding according to their local situation."

In New York City, Cuomo and health officials warned on Monday that the crisis unfolding there is just a preview of what other US communities could soon face.

New York State's death toll climbed by more than 250 people in a day on Monday to more than 1,200, most of them in the city. "We've lost over one thousand New Yorkers," Cuomo said. "To me, we're beyond staggering already."

Even before the governor's appeal, close to 80,000 former nurses, doctors and other 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 emerged of the first US service member to die from the disease. Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said that the death of the New Jersey Army National Guardsman strengthened their resolve to work more closely with partners to stop the 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 the 33 states where governors 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 the last four days and the number of patients in intensive care tripled.

"Challenging times are ahead for the next 30 days," President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday. "The more we dedicate ourselves today, the more quickly we will emerge on the other side of the crisis."

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

In Wuhan, people were ready to jump, cry and "revenge shop" as the Chinese city once at the centre of the global virus outbreak reopened.

"I'm so excited, I want to cry," said one woman at the Chuhe Hanjie pedestrian mall, where about 75% of the shops had reopened.

Shopkeepers were limiting the number of people they 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.

AP