ZCZC
BFF-09
HEALTH-VIRUS-US-TOLL
US coronavirus death toll passes 3,000: Johns Hopkins University
WASHINGTON, March 31, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The US death toll from the
coronavirus pandemic passed 3,000 on Monday, according to the running tally
compiled by the Johns Hopkins University, with more than 163,000 confirmed
cases.
The United States has recorded 3,008 deaths, according to the tally, while
its 163,429 cases are by far the highest national number ahead of Italy,
Spain and China.
President Donald Trump has been criticized for an initially slow response
by the federal government to the now-accelerating pandemic spread.
Harrowing scenes from hospitals in New York and elsewhere revealed a health
system unprepared with basic supplies such as face masks, as well as life-
saving devices like respirators.
On Sunday, Trump cancelled his plans to re-open much of the country by
Easter — April 12 — and extended social distancing guidelines until the end
of April after his top scientists confronted him with data on the rising
coronavirus crisis.
Trump said America’s death rate was likely to increase for two weeks,
describing as “horrible” a prediction by senior scientist Anthony Fauci that
COVID-19 could claim up to 200,000 lives.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1005 hrs