A person in Kentucky has tested positive for coronavirus after attending a 'coronavirus party' for people in their 20s in violatio...
A person in Kentucky has tested positive for coronavirus after attending a 'coronavirus party' for people in their 20s in violation of a ban on mass gatherings, according to the state's governor.
It is just the latest example of ill-advised large gatherings across the country, in public and private, despite stern warnings from the governors of New York, California and elsewhere, and 'stay at home' orders that as of Wednesday will affect half of the U.S. population.
'I guess thinking they were invincible, flaunting the mass gathering prohibition,' said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear at a press conference on Tuesday of the patient who tested positive after the so-called coronavirus party. 'This is one that makes me mad... and it should make you mad.'
'This is something that no one should be doing across the commonwealth,' Beshear said as he revealed that the state's total number of cases had jumped to 163, including the person who attended the banned party.
'I guess thinking they were invincible flaunting the mass gathering prohibition,' said Governor Andy Beshear at a press conference on Tuesday. 'This is one that makes me mad'
A worker in Lexington changes the marquee at the Kentucky Theatre on Wednesday. One person in the state tested positive after attending a 'coronavirus party' in violation of a ban on gatherings
As of Wednesday, 17 states will have 'stay at home' orders in place, with more than half of the US population under lockdown
Beshear did not offer additional details about the infected partygoer, including their exact age or county of residence. So far, four people have died in Kentucky after contracting coronavirus.
'We are battling for the health and even the lives of our parents and our grandparents,' he said. 'Don't be so callous as to intentionally go to something and expose yourself to something that can kill other people. We ought to be much better than that.'
It is just one example from across the country of people, especially young adults who feel invulnerable to the virus, flouting bans on large gatherings and putting themselves and others at risk.
Early in the outbreak, crowds of spring breakers ignored dire warnings to gather in droves on Florida's beaches.
In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has excoriated residents for gathering in large groups in the parks of New York City, ignoring guidelines on social distancing.
For now, New York City's parks remain open for those seeking solo exercise, but Mayor Bill de Blasio has warned that police will be on patrol and ordering any groups to disperse.
New York state suffered another quick and brutal rise in the number of coronavirus cases on Tuesday, becoming the latest U.S. epicenter of the pandemic.
New York City, densely packed home to more than 8 million people, had 157 deaths and some 15,000 cases, nearly one-third the U.S. total and more than half the country's new cases on Tuesday, despite imposing strict limits on travel, socializing and work.
However, photos taken on Tuesday in Central Park and Riverside Park in Manhattan show that residents are still not strictly adhering to 'social distancing' guidelines, with large crowds packing paths and congregating on park benches.
Photos taken in New York on Tuesday show public parks still crowded with people seeking fresh air and exercise, despite stern warnings from the governor
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has excoriated residents for gathering in large groups in the parks of New York City, ignoring guidelines on social distancing
People are seen in New York on Tuesday, after officials warned repeatedly to limit interactions
New York City, densely packed home to more than 8 million people, had 157 deaths and some 15,000 cases, nearly one-third the U.S. total and more than half the country's new cases on Tuesday
In California, the governor on Monday closed parking lots at dozens of beaches and state parks to prevent the spread of coronavirus after large groups flocked to the coast and mountains to get outdoors on the first weekend under the state's stay-at-home order.
Governor Gavin Newsom reaffirmed he wants to continue using social pressure, not police enforcement, to get people to maintain safe spacing.
The new measures come at the start what what would normally be the busy summer season in California, which sees millions of residents and tourists flock to the packed beaches to enjoy the West Coast sunshine in the coming months.
The state is already under orders to stay at home, but images of record crowds flocking to beaches such as Malibu and Santa Monica went viral on Sunday.
People defy 'stay at home' order over the weekend issued by California Governor Gavin Newson by riding their bikes along Huntington Beach, California on Monday
Similar scenes were captured in Miami, where large crowds gathered at beaches last week
In Santa Cruz, where most people are complying with shelter in place rules, some nonessential businesses remained open and some residents were still congregating in groups.
Law enforcement officials warned they will begin enforcing rules that residents shelter in place.
'While we don´t want to resort to citations or arrests, if we don´t see people take this seriously, we´ll have to,' said Sheriff Jim Hart, whose office is receiving dozens of calls daily from people reporting that some residents are gathering in groups and some nonessential businesses are still operating as usual.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump declared major disasters for New York and Washington state and said he would soon do the same for California as he vowed to marshal 'every resource' to fight the outbreak.
'We are enduring a great national trial,' Trump said in a news conference, urging Americans to practice social distancing.
Despite the mounting toll, the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared to its biggest one-day percentage gain since 1933 after U.S. lawmakers said they were close to a deal for an economic rescue package in response to the outbreak.
Democrats, including Cuomo, have criticized the Republican president for suggesting he would reopen the nation's economy by Easter in order to spare businesses as much pain as possible.
'If you ask the American people to choose between public health and the economy, then it's no contest. No American is going to say accelerate the economy at the cost of human life,' Cuomo said at a Manhattan convention center that was being converted into a 1,000-bed temporary hospital.
It was not clear what Trump had in mind, but legal experts said a U.S. president's powers to order people back to work or reopen government buildings, transportation or businesses is limited.
The expected need for hospital beds in New York state at the peak of the outbreak has spiraled to 140,000, Cuomo said, compared with 110,000 previously projected. Only 53,000 beds are said to be available now.
The number of infections is now doubling every three days in New York and the worst of the outbreak, known as the apex, could arrive in 14 to 21 days, putting huge pressure on health services, Cuomo said.
Democrats, including Cuomo, have criticized the Republican president for suggesting he would reopen the nation's economy by Easter in order to spare businesses as much pain as possible
Nationwide, coronavirus, which broke out late last year in Wuhan, China, has infected nearly 50,000 people and killed 640, with more than a quarter of the deaths in New York state.
Governors from across the United States desperately sought resources for what they feared could be similar waves of the disease across the nation.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has warned that the nation's most populous state needs at least 50,000 more hospital beds, closed parking lots at state-owned beaches and parks after seeing surfers flouting stay-at-home rules.
Attorneys general from 15 states and the District of Columbia urged Trump to use the Defense Protection Act to enlist American industry to supply critically needed medical supplies.
Child in Los Angeles becomes the first person under 18 to die of coronavirus
Among California's 43 reported deaths was a child under the age of 18, according to Los Angeles County health officials.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CNN the teenager did not appear to have a pre-existing condition.
'We've had 11 deaths in Los Angeles including among young people,' he said, with the city believed to be in a timeline about six days behind New York.
Trump has tried to maintain a note of optimism even as health officials say the pandemic has yet to peak, telling a White House news conference on Tuesday that 'America will again and soon be open for business. We are not going to let it turn into a long-lasting financial problem.'
Trump said he would make the decision based on facts and data but stuck with his Easter timeframe.
In response to that idea, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said: 'There has been some talk over the last 24 hours by some about who this nation might be willing to sacrifice to COVID-19, for the sake of our economic interests. Well, in case there's any doubt in your minds, I'm not willing to sacrifice anyone.'
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a later White House briefing the mid-April deadline was flexible.
In homes across America, nerves were fraying after days of people working from home, looking after children whose schools are shut and scaling back on everyday activities.
Terri Gilbert Thompson, 44, and her husband Scott, both teachers in Hilltown, Pennsylvania, where schools have closed, juggled teaching remotely with homeschooling their own triplets and son in second grade.
'It has been a challenge, but we are willing to make it work to ensure that the virus doesn´t spread,' Thompson said. 'We´re doing our best to keep our students engaged in learning, monitor and enrich our own kids´ learning, while maintaining our own sanity during this challenging time.'
White House says ANYONE who has recently been to New York should self quarantine for 14 days
White House officials said Tuesday that anyone who has recently been to New York should self quarantine for 14 days.
Dr Deborah Birx, the response coordinator for the White House task force, warned that people leaving the hardest hit area of the United States might not be sick, but could have been exposed to the virus.
She said: 'We remain deeply concerned about New York City and the New York metro area. About 56 percent of all cases in the United States are coming out of the NY metro area.'
Vice president Mike Pence echoed the concerns of Dr Birx during their daily coronavirus briefing.
It comes after Mayor Bill de Blasio called his city the epicenter of the outbreak with 1 in every 1,000 residents infected. There are now 25,665 cases of the virus in New York, including 14,904 in New York City. On Tuesday afternoon de Blasio said 131 people in the city had died.
De Blasio also announced Tuesday that the city hopes to close two streets per borough by Thursday for outdoor exercise; parks currently remain open.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is advising President Donald Trump on the pandemic, says about one per 1,000 people leaving New York are infected. He says that's eight to 10 times more than in other areas.
There are concerns that a cluster of cases in Long Island is a result of people leaving the city for their vacation homes.
Birx said: 'That suggests people have left the city, so this will be very critical that those individuals do self-quarantine in their homes over these next 14 days to make sure they don’t pass the virus.'
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