(Fighting New Crown Pneumonia) Global War Epidemic: Outbreak in New York: "The worst time has not yet come"
China News Agency, New York, March 30th: Global War Epidemic: Outbreak enveloped New York: "The worst moment has not yet come"
China News Agency reporter Madelin
On the morning of the 30th, USNS Comfort sailed slowly under the sky and passed the Statue of Liberty and entered the Hudson River. In the distance, the spire of the Empire State Building loomed in the faint cloud.
As of that day, there were more than 66,500 confirmed Newcastle coronavirus infections in New York State, of which nearly 37,500 were in New York City, where the medical system is under great pressure. The arrival of the Comfort is undoubtedly good news for New York City. Equipped with 1,200 beds and 12 operating rooms, it will treat patients with other diseases in New York City that are not infected with the new crown virus.
On March 30th local time, the US military medical ship "Consolation" sailed through Lower Manhattan, New York. On the same day, Consol arrived at Pier 90 in Manhattan, New York. The vessel has 1,000 medical beds, 50 emergency rooms and 12 operating rooms, and will receive non-neocoronary pneumonia patients in New York. Photo by Liao Pan of China News Agency
At about 10.40 am, the Comfort was docked at Pier 90 on the west side of Manhattan with the help of several barges, and five or six helicopters were hovering in the air. In New Jersey across the river, many people took mobile phones and cameras to take a picture of the comfort sign to enter Hong Kong. A sign hung on the fence on the shore of the Hudson River, writing: "Save lives! Social distance: Keep 6 feet with everyone."
Heading south from Pier 90, you can reach the Javits Center in less than 5 minutes by car. The temporary medical center set up here just completed a few days ago and will soon welcome the first patients. The medical center is currently equipped with 1,000 beds, which can be increased to more than 2900 beds. The reconstruction was completed by the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Guard, and some civilians, and took a week. The lobby on the first floor of the center was slightly empty, and soldiers and workers operating machinery shuttled between them. There is a large screen in the lobby that says, "Thanks to all emergency workers and medical staff, we are working together to respond to the epidemic." As with the comfort number, patients with non-new coronary pneumonia will be accepted here.
A 20-minute walk northeast from Javits is the "Crossroads of the World"-Times Square. New York State officially implemented the "Policies that Assure Uniformed Safety for Everyone" (abbreviated as PAUSE) at 20:00 on March 22, and "suspended" for more than a week. In Times Square, the turbulent crowds of the past receded, the models usually dressed as comic characters and constantly soliciting tourists to take photos disappeared, and some even kicked two feet on the open street. Advertising on the big screen is still flashing. Coca-Cola extended the 8-letter spacing in the brand name and slogan: "Keeping distance is the best way to maintain unity."
Compared to weekdays, there are also fewer people in Central Park. There are still residents here cycling, walking the dog, jogging, playing frisbee, and parents playing with their children on the playground. Strangers keep their distance cautiously. A dozen tents have been erected on the east lawn of Central Park. This is a temporary medical facility constructed by non-governmental organizations in cooperation with Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, with 68 beds. The medical center will be opened on the 31st to divert some patients with new coronary pneumonia at Mount Sinai Hospital.
On March 30th local time, the US military medical ship "Consolation" sailed to Manhattan, New York. On the same day, Consol arrived at Pier 90 in Manhattan, New York. The vessel has 1,000 medical beds, 50 emergency rooms and 12 operating rooms, and will receive non-neocoronary pneumonia patients in New York. Photo by Liao Pan of China News Agency
Leave Manhattan, cross the East River and continue driving for about 30 minutes to reach the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens. The US Army Corps of Engineers has not yet started construction of a temporary medical center here. There is a new crown virus detection point in the empty parking lot, and seven or eight cars are waiting in line for testing. New York Governor Como announced on the 28th that he will build temporary medical centers in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx. In this way, including the Javits Center, there are new temporary medical centers in 5 districts of New York City to relieve the heavy pressure of major hospitals. As of the 30th, the number of confirmed infections in Queens was the highest among the five districts, with nearly 12,000 cases.
In the coming week, the weather in New York will be mostly cloudy, and the pear blossoms and cherry blossoms here are gradually blooming. When spring comes, when will the "haze" of the New York epidemic spread? No answer yet. New York Governor Cuomo said on the same day that New Crown Pneumonia has claimed more than 1,200 lives in New York State, but "the worst moment has not yet come." (Finish)