Chinanews.com, March 22nd. According to statistics from Johns Hopkins University in the United States, as of 13:00 local time, more than 20,000 confirmed cases of new crown pneumonia have occurred in the United States and 278 have died. Within three days, the number of confirmed cases nationwide increased from 10,000 to 20,000. And more research and analysis, the peak of the US epidemic may not arrive until May at the earliest.

Number of confirmed cases in the U.S. breaks 20,000

Doubled diagnosis data within 48 hours

The diagnosis was 22043, and the death was 278. This is the latest U.S. outbreak data updated by Johns Hopkins University as of 13:00 EST on March 21st.

Judging from the development of data in the past week, the epidemic has undoubtedly shown an outbreak in the United States.

On March 13, local time, 52 days after the first case of new coronary pneumonia was confirmed in the United States, Trump declared a "national emergency." This is regarded by the outside world as the beginning of the United States facing the epidemic at the national level and strengthening prevention and control.

On that day, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the United States was 1701. Five days later, on the 18th, that number was close to 10,000.

At 22:00 local time on the 18th, there were 9077 confirmed cases in the United States. By 18:30 on the 20th, the number of confirmed cases in the United States had exceeded 18,000. Within 48 hours, the number of confirmed cases doubled.

Behind the soaring numbers, the rapid spread of the US epidemic is even more worrying.

The New York Times reported on the 20th that researchers at Columbia University used mathematical models to predict the development of the US epidemic. Studies show that the current US epidemic is only in its infancy, and the peak will not arrive until May at the earliest.

According to the study, if there is "no control at all", the number of new cases on the peak day can reach 500,000; if some control measures are taken, the peak day additions will also be close to 300,000; if the strictest control measures are taken, infection can be smoothed effectively The growth curve of the number of people, but these measures must be implemented immediately across the country.

On March 18, local time, an outdoor parking lot of a medical center in Nassau County, New York, USA was being tested for a new crown-free virus, and medical staff exchanged work. At present, New York State has implemented a drive-free new crown virus test in some locations in New York State. The test requires an appointment for evaluation before it can be tested on site. Photo by Liao Pan of China News Agency

Ready or caught off guard?

"Passive Upgrade" of U.S. Prevention and Control Measures

"The new crown virus will disappear miraculously" "The new crown virus is a new scam of the Democratic Party" "No matter what happens, we are ready" ...

At the end of February, Trump judged the U.S. outbreak in his public speech. However, it turned out that Trump at the time was obviously too optimistic, and the United States under his leadership did not seem to be ready for the epidemic.

Since March, whether it has allowed Buffett to "live a long time to see" the continued turmoil in the financial market, or even an army of snapped up toilet paper in the supermarket, panic in American society has become increasingly intense.

The epidemic is spreading, the people are panicking, and the government's measures to prevent and control the epidemic are constantly increasing.

From the introduction of the "15-day Epidemic Prevention Guidelines" to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, to multi-state announcements of "home order"; from suspension of travel with European countries to suspension of all conventional visa services around the world, "suspension" has gradually become a US decree Keywords.

The latest action is that on March 21, the United States officially closed the North-South border. In addition to trade, the border with Canada and Mexico restricts personnel movement.

Currently, more than half of the U.S. states have declared a state of emergency, and more than one-fifth of Americans have to be separated from their homes due to "home orders." But public opinion believes that from top to bottom, U.S. prevention and control measures could have been earlier and faster.

The United States "Washington Post" recently published a review article under the title "Mr. President, please lock us up", expressing dissatisfaction with the poor control of the US government.

The article points out that during the epidemic, state governments actively adopted "self-rescue" measures to strictly control public gatherings such as schools and public transportation; in contrast, the US federal government has been slow to respond.

On the 20th, Trump also stated that he did not consider it necessary to issue a "home order" nationwide because the epidemic was not serious in some areas.

The picture shows a closed public school in Queens, New York City. Photo by Liao Pan of China News Agency

"Epicenter" New York Urges

Governor and Mayor turn for help

Prevention and control were caught off guard, and the most obvious manifestation was that even in the most developed United States in the world, supplies were "rushing."

The worst case is New York State. New York State accounts for more than 40% of current confirmed cases in the United States. On the 20th, Trump announced a "major disaster" in New York State and ordered the federal government to support the state in fighting the new crown pneumonia epidemic. According to the US media, this is the first time the US President has announced a major disaster area due to a public health security incident.

How urgent is the situation in New York State? Governor Cuomo directly announced to the outside world on the 20th that any commercial company has the conditions to produce masks, gloves and other related medical protective equipment, and the state government will pay a high price.

New York City Mayor Bai Sihao not only called New York the epicenter of the U.S. epidemic, but also a long list of much-needed supplies: By early April, New York City would need 3 million N95 masks, 50 million surgical masks, 1.5 10,000 respirators, and 25 million surgical gowns, work clothes, gloves and masks.

Not only in New York, but in the face of the epidemic, there is a huge gap in medical supplies across the United States.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stated in early March that the United States ’national emergency stockpile of medicines and medical supplies has only about 12 million N95 masks and 30 million surgical masks, accounting for only 1.2% of the number of masks needed in a pandemic situation.

In response to material urgency, Trump, who claims to be a "wartime president," said on March 18 that the "National Defense Production Law" would be immediately activated.

On March 17, local time, a variety of goods in a supermarket in San Mateo County, San Francisco Bay Area were in short supply. Photo by Liu Guanguan of China News Agency

Detection becomes the "bullseye" of public opinion

How many potential infections are there?

Compared to supplies, the greater danger to a spreading outbreak comes from a serious imbalance in detection.

In the past few days, some American celebrities and celebrities have given priority to the detection, and even the phenomenon of being tested without symptoms or symptoms has been criticized by public opinion. Because of insufficient testing resources, this "rich first" has caused huge controversy in American society, so that Trump responded to the media's pressing questions: "Maybe this is life."

In fact, from the outset of the epidemic to the present, the United States' backward testing capabilities and stringent testing standards have been cited by public opinion as a major cause of the spread of the epidemic.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), before January and mid-February, almost only the center's laboratories were eligible for testing, and the average daily number of samples tested did not exceed 100.

After a lengthy and time-consuming review process, the US Food and Drug Administration finally approved testing by agencies and laboratories outside the CDC on February 29.

After large-scale testing began, the U.S. epidemic curve rose sharply.

Taking New York State as an example, the reason for the surge in the number of confirmed diagnoses in the state is related not only to the frequent movement of people, but also to its increased detection capacity. Governor Cuomo said on the 20th that New York State has significantly strengthened its ability to detect new crown virus in the past two weeks. In just one day on the 19th, New York State completed 10,000 tests.

Researchers at Columbia University believe that because there are many asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic carriers, the number of undetected cases in the United States may be 11 times the number currently diagnosed, which also reflects the current lagging detection capacity in the United States.

"If extensive testing was carried out at the beginning of an outbreak, it would have been easier to control the outbreak." The New York Times previously commented, "A series of opportunities were missed, leaving officials across the United States to work in the dark, and seeing the cases show an index. Growth. " (Finish)