Death tolls jump in U.S. virus hot spots of New York, Louisiana

rooster59 · April 3, 2020

Death tolls jump in U.S. virus hot spots of New York, Louisiana

By Maria Caspani and Nathan Layne

Healthcare workers at Mount Sinai Hospital hold photos of sick colleagues during a protest demanding critical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to handle patients during the outbreak coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in New York City, U.S., April 3, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two of the main U.S. coronavirus hot spots on Friday reported their biggest jumps yet in COVID-19 deaths, with the number of fatalities in New York state alone comparable to the loss of life in the United States in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The figures show that a wave of deaths predicted to overwhelm hospitals even in rich cities like New York is beginning to crash down on the United States.

New York City, the pandemic's epicenter, has mere days to prepare for the worst of the novel coronavirus outbreak, said Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose city has suffered more than a quarter of U.S. coronavirus-related deaths.

New York City is in an "extraordinary race against time," de Blasio told a news briefing on Friday, warning that the city desperately needed reinforcements of medical supplies, personnel and hospital beds. He renewed a call for the federal government to mobilize the military.

"We’re dealing with an enemy that is killing thousands of Americans, and a lot of people are dying who don’t need to die," he said. "You can’t say, every state for themselves, every city for themselves. That is not America."

Another hot spot, Louisiana, reported that the number of its deaths related to COVID-19 rose from 310 at noon on Thursday to 370 at noon on Friday. This represents the biggest 24-hour increase to date of deaths from the virus in the Southern state.

In New York, the U.S. state hardest hit by the coronavirus, the total death toll was around the same as that on 9/11, when nearly 3,000 people, most of them at New York City's World Trade Center, were killed in attacks on the United States.

The 24-hour death toll in New York state was 562 by Friday morning, Cuomo said, raising the state's total to 2,935 fatalities since the start of the outbreak.

"Personally, it's hard to go through this all day, and then it's hard to stay up all night watching those numbers come in ... and know that you're in charge of the ship at this time," Cuomo said.

NEW ORLEANS A FOCAL POINT

Along with New York and Seattle in Washington state, Louisiana's main city New Orleans has emerged as one of the U.S. focal points of a health crisis that has forced much of the country's workforce to stay home to avoid speading infection.

The virus has been a far deadlier threat in New Orleans than in the rest of the United States, with a per-capita death rate twice that of New York City. Doctors, public health officials and available data suggest the Big Easy's high levels of obesity and related ailments may be part of the problem.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards called on Friday for people to stay at home.

"You are really helping, but for those of you who are not taking the crisis seriously I am asking you to do a better job," he told a news conference.

New York City and state have both complained that federal resources have not reached them quickly enough, but Cuomo said Trump responded swiftly to a request he made on Thursday that a makeshift hospital at a Manhattan convention center be allowed to take in patients with the COVID-19 disease. Initially it was set up to treat only other patients.

More than 25% of the 6,058 U.S. coronavirus deaths tallied by Johns Hopkins University as of Friday morning were in New York City. Infections in the United States account for about 24% of the more than 1 million cases worldwide.

Many of the fatal U.S. victims were dying alone as medical staff forbade relatives to be with them in their final hours for fear of a further spread of infection.

'PEOPLE DYING ALONE'

"There's really no way to describe what we're seeing. Our new reality is unreal," Craig Spencer, the director of global health in emergency medicine at New York's Columbia University medical center, wrote on Twitter on Thursday night.

He described tents set up outside hospitals to help contain an increasing influx of patients. "In those same tents, I saw too much pain, loneliness, and death. People dying alone."

In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy ordered that all flags be lowered to half-staff for as long as the emergency remains in effect to honor those lost to the coronavirus. He said New Jersey, which has more than 29,000 cases, was the first state to take such a measure.

Fresh data on Friday highlighted the economic consequences of the pandemic, confirming that hundreds of thousands of Americans had lost their jobs because of the pandemic. Economists say the real figure is far more than that because huge swaths of the U.S. economy began shutting down last month to avoid spreading the virus.

“What we are watching in real time is the greatest bloodletting in the American labor market since the Great Depression,” said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM in Austin, Texas.

The lockdown is having knock-on effects on law enforcement.

New York State Police told Reuters on Friday there was a 15% increase in reported incidents of domestic violence in March this year compared to the same month in 2019.

Lawyers representing inmates in New York federal jails said on Friday they had been largely cut off from their clients since in-person visits were halted last month due to the pandemic.

(Reporting by Maria Caspani and Nathan Layne; Additional reporting by Peter Szekely, Lucia Mutikani, Lisa Lambert, Susan Heavey, Steve Holland and Dan Whitcomb; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Frank McGurty and Howard Goller)

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nausea · April 3, 2020

But it's only like the flu, ain't it? When there's a bodybag shortage that argument (one I subscribed to myself) starts to feel a bit weak, I must admit.

Tug · April 3, 2020

Aww don’t worry donald says it’s all the states fault cause they mismanaged it he bears no responsibility or so he said today at the briefing

Chomper Higgot · April 4, 2020

2 hours ago, nausea said:

But it's only like the flu, ain't it? When there's a bodybag shortage that argument (one I subscribed to myself) starts to feel a bit weak, I must admit.

The question to ask yourself is, who told you it was like the flu and why were you willing to believe them?

Nyezhov · April 4, 2020

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Aww don’t worry donald says it’s all the states fault cause they mismanaged it he bears no responsibility or so he said today at the briefing

Not that I even agree the issue is one of fault past Chinas criminal negligence, are you saying that Cuomo was perfectly prepared for this? Can a physiscian freely prescribe medications in NY btw?

Crazy Alex · April 4, 2020

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Aww don’t worry donald says it’s all the states fault cause they mismanaged it he bears no responsibility or so he said today at the briefing

Well yeah telling people to hang out in bars on March 13 and telling them to enjoy Chinese New Year nine days after the Trump administration declared a national health emergency is obviously Trump's fault and his responsibility.

dunroaming · April 4, 2020

9 hours ago, nausea said:

But it's only like the flu, ain't it? When there's a bodybag shortage that argument (one I subscribed to myself) starts to feel a bit weak, I must admit.

Everyone underestimated the seriousness of this virus initially and the misinformation from China was unhelpful to say the least.

A friend of mine in the US sent me an interesting link

"Her lab is 280 meters from the“ seafood market“. Did a bit of virus she was studying make some sick.
It would be the most extraordinary coincidence."
http://sourcedb.whiov.cas.cn/yw/rck/200907/t20090718_2100074.html

Followed by a second

http://english.whiov.cas.cn/Newsletter2016/201903/P020190314467594129359.pdf

jany123 · April 4, 2020

5 hours ago, Crazy Alex said:

Well yeah telling people to hang out in bars on March 13 and telling them to enjoy Chinese New Year nine days after the Trump administration declared a national health emergency is obviously Trump's fault and his responsibility.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-declaring-national-emergency-concerning-novel-coronavirus-disease-covid-19-outbreak/

Chinese New Year... it went from Jan 25 to feb 10, I believe. At that time (beginning of Chinese New Year and parades) there was no reported covid 19 in New York... that’s important to remember, as we look at your post.

anyway.... I’m thinking your not referencing mr trump, as he is too anti Chinese to suggest enjoying Chinese New Years... he was probably too busy trying to figure out how to put sanctions on it.... so do tell... who was it that said to go enjoy Chinese New Year?

regardless... I will go ahead and add thoughts.

your wording implies that Chinese New Years went ahead despite a trump warning... this is rubbish.

you appear to be implying that trump made a warning prior to January 25 ( Chinese New Year)... this is rubbish

you appear to be excusing trumps incompetence... this is laughable

you have included two items in one sentence, when those two items are nearly two months apart. I feel that this is deliberately deceptive

That the basis of your argument (above) is couched in deception and inaccuracies is indicative of having no argument at all, or worse.

perhaps try to rely on fact. The truth will set you free.

Edited April 4, 2020 by jany123

bristolboy · April 4, 2020

6 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Can a physiscian freely prescribe medications in NY btw?

Yes. Except certain drugs with addictive potential, Of course, there are malpractice considerations. But that's a civil matter.

Edited April 4, 2020 by bristolboy

Opl · April 4, 2020

6 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Not that I even agree the issue is one of fault past Chinas criminal negligence, are you saying that Cuomo was perfectly prepared for this? Can a physiscian freely prescribe medications in NY btw?

"Cuomo wins over 87% of New York voters with his handling of coronavirus crisis"

Even 70 percent of Republicans in New York give Cuomo a thumbs-up on the job he’s doing. (Fox)

jany123 · April 4, 2020

13 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Everyone underestimated the seriousness of this virus initially and the misinformation from China was unhelpful to say the least.

A friend of mine in the US sent me an interesting link

"Her lab is 280 meters from the“ seafood market“. Did a bit of virus she was studying make some sick.
It would be the most extraordinary coincidence."
http://sourcedb.whiov.cas.cn/yw/rck/200907/t20090718_2100074.html

Followed by a second

http://english.whiov.cas.cn/Newsletter2016/201903/P020190314467594129359.pdf

Wonderful.... you have demonstrated that “her” (assumedly the doctor in the link) is a well respected virologist.... congratulations.

and then you turned it into the basis of a defunct conspiracy theory... kudos.

Nyezhov · April 4, 2020

2 hours ago, Opl said:

"Cuomo wins over 87% of New York voters with his handling of coronavirus crisis"

Even 70 percent of Republicans in New York give Cuomo a thumbs-up on the job he’s doing. (Fox)

Ah. A poll that supports your side. Got it.

Do you have an answer to the question?

Tropposurfer · April 4, 2020

10 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The question to ask yourself is, who told you it was like the flu and why were you willing to believe them?

Nothing like the flu mate !

Tropposurfer · April 4, 2020

Saw DT on the Whitehouse lawn today say he wouldn't be wearing masks in his office and went on about the oval office and the big desk he sits behind. Seems (to me) he was saying it wasn't good to be seeing world leaders in the office with a mask on!? He smiled as he said this! My response is could there be a better place to wear protective gear! No one on that lawn in the govt lineup had a mask on!

Given the predictable escalation of Covid in the USA (for the next month at least) It seems to me that to NOT make it a Presidential Decree under the War Act that he's activated to get MORE BASIC stuff done is poor judgement at best by DT.

The remarks by DT and on Fox News by Fox faces and other news feeds about getting back to work and the economy and ideas that somehow some people will be able to go to work despite the presence of Covid and get on with business is madness.

The Korean experiment shows that to act strongly and quickly with lockdowns etc RADICALLY INTERVENES in the impact of and the spread of the virus !

What I have been hearing for the DT and Fox and some others as though somehow an act of peoples Will, that we must get back to work etc, we will find a way to work-around this virus is madness. Talking today (and in past days) about people being at work and somehow being able to negotiate with a virus is madness.

The rhetoric of people suffering because of the economy being affected; Well, folks won't need to worry about that if the numbers of deaths escalate into the number seen in Italy and Spain (in some centres of the US this is happening !) Cause they'll be flat out burying people in parks and backyards if it goes really south.

otherstuff1957 · April 4, 2020

The OP says that 'hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost their jobs' because of this pandemic.

I'm going to get a bit political here and remind everyone that the US does not have a public health system (aside from Medicare of qualified seniors). Presumably the new unemployed have also lost their Health Insurance. If they now get C-19 and need to be hospitalized in and ICU, how much will it cost them? The answer is up to $100,000. But even people who have insurance and become seriously ill could end up having to pay up to $20,000.

If we start seeing a significant number of medical bankruptcies because of the pandemic, perhaps we can finally get serious about addressing the fact that the US is the only developed country that still operates under the 'pay or die' system.

Phoenix Rising · April 4, 2020

3 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Ah. A poll that supports your side. Got it.

Do you have an answer to the question?

I'll jump in here, always happy to help!

https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/narcotic/official_prescription_program/

May I suggest that you check the internet for answers before posting questions that you easily can find the answer to yourself?

Nyezhov · April 4, 2020

7 minutes ago, Phoenix Rising said:

I'll jump in here, always happy to help!

https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/narcotic/official_prescription_program/

May I suggest that you check the internet for answers before posting questions that you easily can find the answer to yourself?

Well may I suggest that if you find a source on the net, it should at least answet the question, not be irrlevant.

elliss · April 4, 2020

Fyi , i live in Thailand , fully paid up member 800K , etc ...

Thailand recorded death's are among the lowest , along with N.Korea , Moscow , etc ...

USA/UK , wise up , and lie ..

Edited April 4, 2020 by elliss

IAMHERE · April 4, 2020

16 minutes ago, elliss said:

Fyi , i live in Thailand , fully paid up member 800K , etc ...

Thailand recorded death's are among the lowest , along with N.Korea , Moscow , etc ...

USA/UK , wise up , and lie ..

Squeaky wheel gets the oil. The states are competing for Federal dollars; the more Covid-19 your city/state has the more money comes to your city/state. It pays to count every leaf as a tree.

Crazy Alex · April 4, 2020

It's certainly no surprise New York is a hot spot for the virus. Some hack there told everyone to party it up at Chinese New year and forget COVID-19 "misinformation NINE DAYS after the Trump administration declared a national health emergency and restricted travel from China. As late as March 13, Bill Di Blasio was telling people to go have drinks at a bar.

Where there are government disasters, there are ALWAYS big government liberals behind the scene, causing or exacerbating these disasters.

Ventenio · April 4, 2020

It's a "hot spot" because they test.

Now go to Rio and test everyone there....plus some other places

NYC would then fall out of the top 10.

but, whatever, use your ridiculous logic

Crazy Alex · April 4, 2020

3 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

It's a "hot spot" because they test.

Now go to Rio and test everyone there....plus some other places

NYC would then fall out of the top 10.

but, whatever, use your ridiculous logic

There's a "Rio" in the US?

bristolboy · April 4, 2020

3 minutes ago, Crazy Alex said:

It's certainly no surprise New York is a hot spot for the virus. Some hack there told everyone to party it up at Chinese New year and forget COVID-19 "misinformation NINE DAYS after the Trump administration declared a national health emergency and restricted travel from China. As late as March 13, Bill Di Blasio was telling people to go have drinks at a bar.

Where there are government disasters, there are ALWAYS big government liberals behind the scene, causing or exacerbating these disasters.

Nonsense. New York is a hotspot because it's the most densely populated part of the country and it's a center of international air travel. And lots and lots of tourists.

What makes your comments particularly ludicrous is that it's overwhelmingly GOP states that have been slow to act. Even now, the incompetent governor of Florida has given a special dispensation to people congregating for religious purposes. Several other incompetent Republican governors have done the same. But they have no choice, really do they? They are hostages to the political right.

5 of the 6 worst governors are Republicans. And the one Democratic governor who performed badly was upbraided by his fellow Democrats.

Of the 2 Republican governors who performed well, one is Larry Hogan, who you would probably call a RINO. He has publicly contradicted Trump.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/04/01/coronavirus-state-governors-best-worst-covid-19-159945

bristolboy · April 4, 2020

13 minutes ago, Crazy Alex said:

It's certainly no surprise New York is a hot spot for the virus. Some hack there told everyone to party it up at Chinese New year and forget COVID-19 "misinformation NINE DAYS after the Trump administration declared a national health emergency and restricted travel from China. As late as March 13, Bill Di Blasio was telling people to go have drinks at a bar.

Where there are government disasters, there are ALWAYS big government liberals behind the scene, causing or exacerbating these disasters.

American states’ responses to the coronavirus follow party lines

Republican-leaning governors are slower to impose restrictions than Democrats

A new paper by researchers at the University of Washington finds that lawmakers in right-leaning states have been noticeably slower at rolling out social-distancing measures. Such delays have massive consequences. To arrive at this conclusion, the researchers compiled data on which rules were adopted by which states, and when such orders were first announced. They focused on five categories of policies: bans on large gatherings, school closures, restrictions on restaurant operations, business closures and stay-at-home orders.

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/04/02/american-states-responses-to-the-coronavirus-follow-party-lines

Crazy Alex · April 4, 2020

Just now, bristolboy said:

Nonsense. New York is a hotspot because it's the most densely populated part of the country and it's a center of international air travel. And lots and lots of tourists.

What makes your comments particularly ludicrous is that it's overwhelmingly GOP states that have been slow to act. Even now, the incompetent governor of Florida has given a special dispensation to people congregating for religious purposes. Several other incompetent Republican governors have done the same. But they have no choice, really do they? They are hostages to the political right.

5 of the 6 worst governors are Republicans. And the one Democratic governor who performed badly was upbraided by his fellow Democrats.

Of the 2 Republican governors who performed well, one is Larry Hogan, who you would probably call a RINO. He has publicly contradicted Trump.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/04/01/coronavirus-state-governors-best-worst-covid-19-159945

Not nonsense. What you posted is true. What I posted is also true. So no, your response does not preclude any other truth from being the truth.

But using your logic, Texas, which has a nearly 50% higher population than New York, should have much higher rates of infection. DFW is a HUGE, international air transport hub. Granted, New York has a very high concentration of people. Still, what about the population?

As far as you complaining about red states, just look at where most of the hot spots are. BLUE STATES. and how do you explain Louisiana, lower population, lower concentration and not very international, being one of the hot spots? Seriously, with blue states dominating the hot spot list, you're complaining about red state responses?

Now let's get specific on my claims.

1) Was encouraging people to party for Chinese New Year nine days after travel restrictions and declaration of a national health emergency a smart move? Yes or no?

2) Was Bill Di Blasio encouraging people to hang out in bars on March 13 a wise move? Yes or no.

Crazy Alex · April 4, 2020

13 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

American states’ responses to the coronavirus follow party lines

Republican-leaning governors are slower to impose restrictions than Democrats

A new paper by researchers at the University of Washington finds that lawmakers in right-leaning states have been noticeably slower at rolling out social-distancing measures. Such delays have massive consequences. To arrive at this conclusion, the researchers compiled data on which rules were adopted by which states, and when such orders were first announced. They focused on five categories of policies: bans on large gatherings, school closures, restrictions on restaurant operations, business closures and stay-at-home orders.

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/04/02/american-states-responses-to-the-coronavirus-follow-party-lines

I see. So that damn Republican governor of West Virginia should have been as quick to implement social distancing guidelines as Washington. Yes, that makes sense. To someone. I suppose.

bristolboy · April 4, 2020

34 minutes ago, Crazy Alex said:

Not nonsense. What you posted is true. What I posted is also true. So no, your response does not preclude any other truth from being the truth.

But using your logic, Texas, which has a nearly 50% higher population than New York, should have much higher rates of infection. DFW is a HUGE, international air transport hub. Granted, New York has a very high concentration of people. Still, what about the population?

As far as you complaining about red states, just look at where most of the hot spots are. BLUE STATES. and how do you explain Louisiana, lower population, lower concentration and not very international, being one of the hot spots? Seriously, with blue states dominating the hot spot list, you're complaining about red state responses?

Now let's get specific on my claims.

1) Was encouraging people to party for Chinese New Year nine days after travel restrictions and declaration of a national health emergency a smart move? Yes or no?

2) Was Bill Di Blasio encouraging people to hang out in bars on March 13 a wise move? Yes or no.

First of all, it's interesting how you focus on Chinese New Year. It was foolish for people to be in crowds anywhere. But why do you focus on Chinese New Year? Ya think Chinese Americans pose a special danger? And yes, Diblasio shouldn't have done it. But he was responding to the fact that people were actually boycotting Chinese restaurants. And the fact is that Republican governors are still being lenient about enforcement. And the Chinese New Year thing pales into insignificance compared to New York's density which is the overwhelming factor in the Coronavirus situations. It's also front loaded. So states that aren't so hard hit now will be harder hit later as New York starts to recover.

samran · April 4, 2020

1 hour ago, Crazy Alex said:

It's certainly no surprise New York is a hot spot for the virus. Some hack there told everyone to party it up at Chinese New year and forget COVID-19 "misinformation NINE DAYS after the Trump administration declared a national health emergency and restricted travel from China. As late as March 13, Bill Di Blasio was telling people to go have drinks at a bar.

Where there are government disasters, there are ALWAYS big government liberals behind the scene, causing or exacerbating these disasters.

Maybe everyone was listening to the fox pundits saying this was all overblown...

Crazy Alex · April 4, 2020

5 hours ago, samran said:

Maybe everyone was listening to the fox pundits saying this was all overblown...

Yes, I'm sure the multiple Democrats who, on multiple occasions, downplayed the risks only did so because they were watching Fox News.

Edited April 4, 2020 by Crazy Alex

Crazy Alex · April 4, 2020

6 hours ago, bristolboy said:

First of all, it's interesting how you focus on Chinese New Year. It was foolish for people to be in crowds anywhere. But why do you focus on Chinese New Year? Ya think Chinese Americans pose a special danger? And yes, Diblasio shouldn't have done it. But he was responding to the fact that people were actually boycotting Chinese restaurants. And the fact is that Republican governors are still being lenient about enforcement. And the Chinese New Year thing pales into insignificance compared to New York's density which is the overwhelming factor in the Coronavirus situations. It's also front loaded. So states that aren't so hard hit now will be harder hit later as New York starts to recover.

For the record, it wouldn't matter to me if it was Chinese, Irish or Ethiopian New Year. I understand your questioning it.

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Death tolls jump in U.S. virus hot spots of New York, Louisiana

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