The United States has recorded an additional 1,169 deaths from the new coronavirus between Wednesday April 1 and Thursday April 2, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University which refers. It is the worst daily record ever recorded in a country. The total number of people who have died since the start of the pandemic in the country is now 5,949.

The previous record for the number of deaths in 24 hours in a country was observed on March 27 in Italy, with 969 deaths. The total death toll is still higher in Italy (13,915) and Spain (10,003) than in the United States. But according to White House projections, the Covid-19 is expected to kill 100,000 to 240,000 people in the country.

Between Wednesday and Thursday, the United States also identified more than 30,000 additional Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of officially reported cases in the country to more than 243,000. The country alone accounts for a quarter of global cases.

New Yorkers called to cover their faces

More than 1.3 million Covid-19 tests have been performed in the country, Vice President Mike Pence said on Thursday at the White House Crisis Cell daily press conference on the new coronavirus. "We are now performing more than 100,000 tests a day," added President Donald Trump, "which is more than any country in the world," both in absolute numbers and in proportion to the population (about 330 million inhabitants), he said.

The epicenter of the American epidemic is located in New York. The city alone has registered more than 1,500 deaths and is approaching 50,000 positive cases, according to figures released late Thursday.

The mayor called on residents to cover their faces, recalling that studies have shown that the virus can be transmitted by people who have no symptoms of the disease. "It means that when you wear face protection, you protect everyone else," said Bill de Blasio on Thursday, urging New Yorkers to use homemade scarves or masks due to reduced stocks of protective gear. medical.

Directives to be published

After being hesitant, the Trump administration appeared to join the recommendations on Thursday evening. Speaking at the White House media briefing, a member of the coronavirus task force said the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be issuing guidelines on how to protect itself in the coming days. the face.

Deborah Birx, however, warned Americans, about 90% of whom have been instructed locally to stay confined except for essential activities, that "a false sense of security" should not be developed by thinking that a mask is enough to protect oneself completely from the coronavirus.

Donald Trump, however, only said that Americans could wear a protective mask if they wished. The President added that scarves could be just as effective at covering the mouth and nose.

Lack of medical equipment

Jared Kushner, advisor to Donald Trump and also a member of the White House Coronavirus task force, said the federal government would send some 200,000 protective masks to the New York public health system. 95 for health personnel.

In addition, Donald Trump invoked his special powers on Thursday to speed up the production of respiratory ventilation devices. The governor of the State of New York warned Thursday that the city still had enough to last only six days. "If the rate of people who are hospitalized and in need of respirators continues, we can hold about six days with our stock. If a peak occurs in this interval, if it increases, if it lasts longer, we will have a respiratory problem, "said Andrew Cuomo.

FR NW SOT CUOMO NEW YORK 22H

Health workers lack everything. Thursday, around thirty nurses organized a rare demonstration in front of a New York hospital, to denounce the lack of masks, gowns and other protective equipment which endangers them and their patients.

With AFP and Reuters

The France 24 week summary invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app

google-play-badge_FR