New coronavirus deaths in US as lawmakers reach $8.3 bn funding deal
06 March, 2020
The death toll in the United States from the new coronavirus rose to 11 on Wednesday, as lawmakers in Congress decided to provide a lot more than $8 billion to fight the rapidly spreading disease.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a crisis as he reported the state's first fatality from the COVID-19 illness -- an elderly person who had taken a cruise to Mexico -- while health officials in close by Washington state said a 10th person had died there.
"The State of California is deploying every degree of government to greatly help identify cases and slow the spread of the coronavirus," Newsom told reporters.
"This emergency proclamation can help the state further prepare our communities and our health care system in the case it spreads more broadly."
Early in the day, LA County officials reported six new cases in the West Coast metropolis, as the number of confirmed cases in NY state rose to 11.
One of the Los Angeles cases concerns a medical screener at the city's airport terminal checking overseas travelers for symptoms.
The Department of Homeland Security said the worker was under self-quarantine in the home along with members of the family and was showing mild symptoms.
That person's last shift at the airport was on February 21 and the symptoms began on February 29, a statement said.
"DHS is pleased to report that this individual was experienced and did everything right both face to face and when they started out to feel sick," the statement said.
"We are told the individual wore all the correct protective equipment and took necessary protections face to face."
Nationwide, a lot more than 130 people have up to now been infected, with the virus detected in more than a dozen states. Most of the deaths have been around in Washington state including residents of a nursing home.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi meanwhile said Republicans and Democrats had reached a deal to invest in the response to the outbreak to the tune of $8.3 billion. THE HOME of Representatives passed the measure, and the Senate was to vote on Thursday.
Vice President Mike Pence, who's the White House's pointman on the crisis, told reporters he would be planing a trip to Minnesota on Thursday to go to a 3M plant manufacturing personal protective equipment including masks.
He'll then visit Washington state and meet with Governor Jay Inslee to examine containment efforts in the Seattle area.
'Coordinated, fully-funded response'
Each of the newly infected individuals in LA were exposed to COVID-19 through close contact, health officials said.
Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said three of the cases concerned travelers who had opted together to northern Italy -- a virus hotspot with more than 100 deaths.
Two other cases involved those who had are exposed to a family member who had the virus and the last was the airport screener.
"The step we're taking today is approximately preparation, not panic," said Mayor Eric Garcetti of the emergency declaration.
Officials said they expected the amount of infections in California to go up in the coming days and urged families to brace for possible school closures and the cancelation of public events.
Statewide, a lot more than 50 people are known to be infected, the almost all of any state.
In Washington state, officials in King County, which includes Seattle and where the majority of the deaths have taken place, said they were purchasing an 85-bed motel to accommodate patients stricken with the virus.
Source: www.thejakartapost.com
TAG(s):