More than 121,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in the US and more than half are in those states, according to CNN's tally of cases reported by health officials.
The CDC said this advisory does not apply to employees of critical infrastructure industries, including but not limited to trucking, public health professionals, financial services and food supply.
In an interview with CNN's Ana Cabrera Saturday evening, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said a quarantine "would be chaos and mayhem."
"It's totally opposite everything he's been saying. I don't think it is plausible. I don't think it is legal."
In the past days, federal and state authorities have been
scrambling to slow down the spread of the deadly virus. The US
surpassed Italy and China this week to become the country with
the most coronavirus cases in the world[3].
At least 121,285 people in the US have contracted the virus since the first case was reported in late January. The death toll has reached 2,043, doubling in the last two days.
Developments from around the country
State officials believe the state will need 140,000 beds when it reaches the apex of the pandemic in an estimated 14 to 21 days, Cuomo said
Pandemic will hit these states hard, top US doctor says
New hot spots have emerged across the country as case numbers escalate, including Detroit, Chicago and New Orleans, US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams told "CBS This Morning" on Friday.
In Chicago, hospitals and health officials have begun
preparing for a surge in patients after Mayor Lori Lightfoot said
the city could see more than 40,000 hospitalizations in the next
week, CNN affiliate WLS
reported.[9] One registered ICU nurse
with University of Chicago Medicine, who asked not to be named for
fear of reprisal, told CNN that
she's afraid of what the ICU will look like in another
week[10] as cases rise.
"The number of Covid patients we are getting is rapidly increasing every day," she said, "and all of us collectively worry about what will happen as it gets worse if this is where we are starting."
University of Chicago Medicine officials did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.
In Louisiana, where deaths surged by more than 40% in a single day this week and continue to jump daily, hospitals are already working under stress.
New Orleans, already the
epicenter in the state's cases[13], is also short on
ventilators and equipment.
"This is going to be the disaster that defines our generation," said Collin Arnold, director of the city's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
"No matter where you are, this is coming to you," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Thursday. "Take all the measures you can now to make sure people are home."
100,000 ventilators in 100 days
More than 225 million Americans as of Monday will be under orders to stay inside to help combat the virus.
Some of its key elements include sending checks directly to individuals and families, a major expansion of unemployment benefits, money for hard-hit hospitals and health care providers, financial assistance for small businesses and $500 billion in loans for distressed companies.
State leaders have also urged him to respond to a looming shortage of medical supplies. The administration will facilitate the production or acquisition of "100,000 additional units" of ventilators through other means over a 100-day period, Trump said.
"We are manufacturing a lot of them (ventilators) now, we are accumulating a lot. We are taking a lot through the act," Trump said, referring to the Defense Production Act, which he invoked Friday.
"Maybe we won't even need the full activation," he said. "We will find out, but we need the ventilators."
CNN's Jacqueline Howard, Matthew Hoye, Cheri Mossburg and Hollie Silverman contributed to this report.
References
- ^ President Donald Trump (twitter.com)
- ^ tweeted (twitter.com)
- ^ the country with the most coronavirus cases in the world (www.cnn.com)
- ^ Tracking coronavirus cases in the US (www.cnn.com)
- ^ died with the virus (dph.illinois.gov)
- ^ USNS Comfort is set to arrive in New York City (www.cnn.com)
- ^ various stay at home or shelter in place orders (www.cnn.com)
- ^ FDA approved a coronavirus test (www.cnn.com)
- ^ CNN affiliate WLS reported. (abc7chicago.com)
- ^ told CNN that she's afraid of what the ICU will look like in another week (www.cnn.com)
- ^ ICU rooms had paper bags by the door (www.cnn.com)
- ^ one hospital employee told CNN (www.cnn.com)
- ^ already the epicenter in the state's cases (www.cnn.com)
- ^ could follow in New York's footsteps (www.cnn.com)
- ^ more than tripled in six days (www.publichealth.lacounty.gov)
- ^ the largest emergency aid package in the country's history. (www.cnn.com)
