Johns Hopkins University reports that the number of patients with the coronavirus has been tracking since the outbreak. Yesterday, 1,939 people died in the US from the effects of Covid-19. That is the largest number of deaths in one country to date.
US death toll has risen sharply
The death toll in the US is therefore 12,722. Only in Italy (17,127) and in Spain (13,798) more people have died so far. In the US, nearly 400,000 people are infected with the virus. That is much more than in Italy and Spain, where some 140,000 people are infected.
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However, during the daily press conference, President Trump mainly criticized the World Health Organization (WHO). According to Trump, that organization has “focused on China” too much.
“They were wrong”
The fact that the WHO criticized Trump’s policy was also bad for the president. “They criticized my entry ban for China, but they were wrong. They were wrong about many things,” Trump said.
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Because according to Trump, the WHO reacted incorrectly to the pandemic and “went after the facts”, he threatens to stop the American contribution to the institute. That is an amount of $ 50 million per year. A little later he returned to it. “I’m not saying we’re going to do it, but we’re going to investigate it.”
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WHO ‘has ruined struggle’
Yesterday, the president also tweeted that the WHO has “ruined” the fight against corona. A spokesman for the UN organization WHO then rejected Trump’s criticism.
It is clear to UN chief Antonio Guterres that WHO has “done a great job” of helping countries on a large scale with equipment, training and guidelines. “The WHO demonstrates the power of the international health system.”
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Trump also seized the daily press conference to once again promote the rheumatism and malaria drug (hydroxy) chloroquine. However, there is no scientific evidence for its effect. Trump promoted that drug earlier too.
Great inequality
Anthony Fauci, the director of the US health institute, further reported that the corona crisis shows the magnitude of inequality in the US. According to the death rates, black Americans are much more likely to die from the virus than white Americans.
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Meanwhile, talks are going on behind the scenes in the US about how to get the economy going. Insiders report this to Bloomberg news agency. By testing a lot, the White House would like to determine the areas in which people can return to work.
Reopening companies
Businesses may reopen in cities where few people are infected with the coronavirus. Badly affected areas such as New York, Detroit and New Orleans will remain closed longer anyway.
The plans are still in the first phase, but as the increase in patients in hard-hit New York seems to be leveling off, Trump is already talking about reopening the US economy. According to Fauci, a ‘very hard week’ first follows, before the flattening really becomes clear.
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Population health comes first
Last month, President Trump stated that the country would return to normal at Easter, but later adjusted it. Trump has expressed hope that the economy will get going again in June.
US Vice President Mike Pence did comment on this. He emphasized that the health of the population is paramount.
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