US passes a million coronavirus cases

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: The number of confirmed US coronavirus cases topped 1 million on Tuesday – representing a third of the global total – even as some states eased restrictions in the face of an economy battered by the pandemic.

With President Donald Trump’s economic adviser forecasting an unemployment rate of more than 16% for April and many Americans chafing under stay-at-home orders, about a dozen states were moving to restart their economies despite a lack of large-scale virus testing.

Public health experts have warned that a premature rollback of social-distancing policies could cause a surge in new infections.

More than 56,500 Americans have died of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, with an average of about 2,000 a day this month, according to a Reuters tally.

The number of confirmed U.S. coronavirus infections passed 1 million and has doubled in 18 days. The actual number of U.S. infections is believed to be higher than the confirmed number of cases, with state public health officials cautioning that shortages of trained workers and materials have limited testing capacity, leaving many infections unrecorded.

About 30% of the American cases have occurred in New York state, the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, followed by New Jersey, Massachusetts, California and Pennsylvania. The virus was first reported late last year in China and has spread worldwide. The earliest-known U.S. deaths were in February.

Georgia, at the vanguard of states reopening businesses, on Monday permitted restaurant dining for the first time in a month. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Monday he would let the state’s stay-at-home order expire and begin reopening businesses including restaurants and retail shops in phases beginning on Friday.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met with Trump at the White House and said he would make an announcement on Wednesday about how to relax restrictions in his state. DeSantis said he would review his state’s task force report before making his announcement.

The governors of other states, including New York, have put off easing restrictions out of concern they might fuel a second wave of infections.

“Everyone is talking about reopening. I get it,” said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, adding any decision should not be made based on politics or emotions or in reaction to protests.

More than 56,500 Americans have died of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, with an average of about 2,000 a day this month, according to a Reuters tally.

The number of confirmed U.S. coronavirus infections passed 1 million and has doubled in 18 days. The actual number of U.S. infections is believed to be higher than the confirmed number of cases, with state public health officials cautioning that shortages of trained workers and materials have limited testing capacity, leaving many infections unrecorded.

About 30% of the American cases have occurred in New York state, the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, followed by New Jersey, Massachusetts, California and Pennsylvania. The virus was first reported late last year in China and has spread worldwide. The earliest-known U.S. deaths were in February.

Georgia, at the vanguard of states reopening businesses, on Monday permitted restaurant dining for the first time in a month. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Monday he would let the state’s stay-at-home order expire and begin reopening businesses including restaurants and retail shops in phases beginning on Friday.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met with Trump at the White House and said he would make an announcement on Wednesday about how to relax restrictions in his state. DeSantis said he would review his state’s task force report before making his announcement.

The governors of other states, including New York, have put off easing restrictions out of concern they might fuel a second wave of infections.

“Everyone is talking about reopening. I get it,” said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, adding any decision should not be made based on politics or emotions or in reaction to protests.