Anxious New York Emerges as the Largest COVID-19 Outbreak Area in the US

Multiple Fatalities Occur in Washington State Chuwol
Rapid Spread of Local Infections Underway
UN Headquarters Suspends Tour Program

The media are covering a school in New York State that was closed due to COVID-19.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in the United States surpassed 805 on the 10th (local time), rapidly increasing. In particular, the situation in New York, the economic center of the U.S., is serious.

According to Johns Hopkins University, as of 3 p.m. on the 11th (Eastern Time), the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. reached 805, including 28 deaths.

Despite the declaration of a state of emergency, New York State saw an increase of 31 cases overnight, bringing the total infections to 173. This quickly surpassed Washington State's 167 cases, where a large number of deaths occurred.

In Nassau County, New York State, two new cases were reported early in the morning, involving a school bus driver, leading to the closure of schools in Oyster Bay, Locust Valley, Glen Cove, Westbury, and other areas. Many universities in New York City, New York State, and New Jersey have also closed.

As the increase in confirmed cases in New York shows no signs of stopping, the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan decided to ban general public visits and suspend tour programs starting that night to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Financial firms on Wall Street, located in New York, are also scrambling to implement measures such as telecommuting to prevent the spread of infection.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters that "since private laboratories began COVID-19 testing last Friday, the number of patients in New York City has surged," adding that "the rapid increase is beyond what authorities can keep up with."

The number of patients in Washington D.C. also increased to four on the same day, raising concerns that the threat of COVID-19 could spread within the U.S. political sphere.

In this regard, Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), appeared at a House hearing on the 2021 CDC budget and lamented the lack of equipment and personnel at state and local public health laboratories.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.