US braces ‘alarming’ surge in Covid-19 deaths with NY registering more cases than any country in the world

THE US has recorded an ‘alarming’ surge in coronavirus (Covid-19) deaths. 

The number of deaths from the disease topped 15,900 on Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University, with the nation mourning nearly 2,000 fatalities in the last 24 hours. Deaths in the country reached record highs on both Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, registering over 1,900 new deaths each day.

US officials have been warning Americans to expect an ‘alarming’ number of Covid-19 deaths this week. “We are in the midst of a week of heartache,” stated Vice President Mike Pence, during a White House briefing on Wednesday.

With over 451,000 Americans infected with Covid-19, the US is the country with the most number of Covid-19 cases. It is also the second country in the world with the most coronavirus-related deaths after Italy (18,279).

New York has been the hardest hit state with more than 799 deaths reported on Wednesday, up from 779 a day earlier. The state has recorded 7,067 deaths from Covid-19. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases in New York has reached 151,598, outpacing every country, apart from the US as a whole.

The economic impact of the crisis, and subsequent lockdown measures has resulted in 16.8 million American workers out of work in the past three weeks. Around 6.6 million of those workers applied for unemployment benefits during the last week alone (week ending April 4), according to the US Department of Labour. Small businesses and workers, particularly in the service industries, have been the most affected from the lockdown measures.