There are more than 300,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide, the most affected country remaining China (81,394 according to Johns Hopkins University) followed by Italy (53,578) but now the United States has more cases ( 26.747) than Spain (25.496).
The United States also has 340 deaths, with the states of Washington and New York as epicenters (94 and 70 deaths).
Save the economy
Faced with the epidemic, how is the world’s leading power reacting?
President Donald Trump, who at first seemed to take coronavirus lightly, declared a state of emergency. But he is skeptical about the containment measures. He wants to stimulate economic activity. He urges Republicans and Democrats to agree on a $ 1 trillion stimulus package. “We are preparing measures like no one has ever seen“he told the White House, less than eight months before the presidential election.
He can count on the support of his vice-president, Mike Pence, whose test was negative.
To meet the demands of the US government, companies are entering the market for masks, respirators and other medical equipment. The administration of the drugs authorizes the use of a first rapid test capable of detecting positive cases of coronavirus in approximately 45 minutes. The California-produced test may be available as early as next week.
The increase in the number of cases detected follows the deployment of screening tests: more than 195,000 Americans have been tested.
Unpreparedness
On the ground, it is above all the States which must manage the crisis. More and more states are moving to restrictive measures, which will curb the world’s largest economy. The two most populous, California and New York, have closed all non-essential trade and confined their populations. New Jersey, Illinois and Connecticut followed suit. But will confinement suffice?
According to an article published this week by the New England Journal of Medicine, the United States would be ill-prepared, especially in comparison with Italy, for example with fewer beds available.
“Although the Italian healthcare system is very popular and has 3.2 hospital beds per 1000 inhabitants (compared to 2.8 in the United States), it has been impossible to meet the needs of so many seriously ill patients simultaneously“writes Dr. Lisa Rosenbaum, cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
The United States is “two months late“In their preparation, says another expert to CNN this week.”I think it is the fundamental responsibility of the government to have acted a long time ago“said Dr. Eric Toner of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Another doctor pointed out the lack of staff even more than the shortage of equipment. “It just drains our staff. Health care is complicated and people make mistakes when they are overworked“warns David Hill of the American Lung Association.
Everything can collapse very quickly
If healthcare workers get sick, “everything can collapse very quickly“also warns Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
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