Primary postponed & quarantine mulled as New York Covid-19 death toll JUMPS by 209 in one day & number of cases blasts past 50,000
The death toll from the Covid-19 infection in New York increased by 209 on Saturday, while the number of people infected with the virus rose to 52,318. The state’s presidential primary was also pushed back until June.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in a press conference on Saturday that a total of 728 people in New York have now died due to the illness. The number of confirmed cases also surged past the 50,000 milestone as it spiked by 7,683 on Friday’s total of 44,635. The increase represents a 17 percent jump on the previous day’s figure.
US President Donald Trump said earlier in the day that he was considering imposing a quarantine on New York, New Jersey and Connecticut in a bid to clamp down on the disease.
I am giving consideration to a QUARANTINE of developing “hot spots”, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. A decision will be made, one way or another, shortly.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2020
Governor Cuomo said that Trump has approved the construction of four additional temporary hospital sites in New York City, which will boost the state’s supply of hospital beds by 4,000. He also called on pharmacies to start delivering medications to homes free of charge.
New York has accounted for roughly a third of the death toll and half the known cases of Covid-19 in the United States.
Cuomo says New York's death toll has reached 728, up 40% from yesterday. Here's what the state's mortality trend looks like in context. pic.twitter.com/SiTzZpODXn
— Bill Hammond (@NYHammond) March 28, 2020
Cuomo also used the press conference to announce that he was postponing the state's presidential primary from April until June due to the outbreak.
"We have been behind this virus from day one. We are waiting to see what the virus does," Cuomo told the assembled media. "You don't win on defense. You win on offense. You have to get ahead of this."
Saturday also saw UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announce the donation of 250,000 protective face masks to New York City, where the intergovernmental organization has its headquarters.
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