"It is a symbol of hope," said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. The military ship USNS Comfort, with a capacity of 1,000 beds and 12 operating theaters, arrived around 10:30 a.m. local (4:30 p.m. in France), Monday, March 30. It should make it possible to discharge New York hospitals from patients who do not require care linked to the new coronavirus. Another hospital is to open in the Javits Center conference center in Manhattan, which will accommodate nearly 3,000 patients not affected by the virus.

The number of people with Covid-19 is increasing rapidly in the United States: more than 163,000 confirmed cases, for more than 3,000 deaths, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University. New York State alone, the epicenter of the pandemic in the country, had more than 67,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,200 deaths Monday night, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo. And the virus is spreading, now hitting hard the states of New Jersey, Louisiana, Illinois or Florida.

Bill de Blasio stressed that his city still needed urgently, just to keep up with the week, some 400 artificial respirators and reinforcements of medical personnel.

70% of Americans confined

This worsening of the situation prompted Donald Trump to extend until the end of April the confinement and restriction instructions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, rather than reducing them by Easter April 12, as he had done. hoped for.

While calling on people to "stay at home", the American president reiterated on Monday that it was "unlikely" that he would declare strict confinement at the national level. Measures are being taken at the state level, and more than 70 percent of Americans are already affected by containment, with the addition of Maryland, Virginia and the federal capital Washington on Monday. However, he warned that April would be crucial: "These are 30 vital days. We will do everything during those 30 days."

The resulting confinement and social distancing have reduced the reproduction rate of the new coronavirus by half in three weeks, according to a statistical study conducted in the Seattle region, one of the main foci of Covid-19 in the United States. In other states, containment is difficult to maintain. Ronald Howard-Browne, a famous evangelical pastor from Florida, was arrested on Monday for celebrating the service "repeatedly" with hundreds of worshipers, ignoring orders of confinement.

"30 crucial days"

The President has also stated that more than one million Americans have been tested for coronavirus. "Everyone has a role to play in winning this war. Every citizen, family and business can make a difference in stopping the virus. It is our common patriotic duty. Difficult times are looming over the next 30 days and it's 30 really vital days. "

Donald Trump also announced that the United States has begun to procure medical protective equipment abroad. "We get it from all over the world and we also send things we don't need to other regions," he said. The head of the White House said he had met with the President of the Italian Council, Giuseppe Conte, and that the United States would send to Italy about 100 million dollars of medical supplies which they do not need.

Donald Trump also welcomed the decision of Ford and General Electrics, who announced during the day that they would produce 50,000 respirators in 100 days and 30,000 devices per month as long as it was necessary. He noted that General Motors and other companies based in the United States were also going to manufacture breathing apparatus. The surplus will be sent to Italy, France, Spain and other countries that need it, added Donald Trump.

In parallel, the employees of the American distribution platforms Amazon and Instacart went on strike Monday, in full containment in New York and San Francisco, accusing their employers of not protecting them enough against the new coronavirus.

With AFP and Reuters

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