New York extends confinement, despite sharply falling death toll

Donald Trump may want to revive the American economic machine, the financial capital of the United States will remain confined for at least another month: the governor of New York announced Thursday the extension until May 15 of the confinement in this state, the most affected the country with nearly a third of the 648,000 American cases identified.

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“We must continue what we are doing,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said during his daily press briefing. “I would like to see the infection rate drop even further. The containment policy will remain in effect until May 15, ”he added.

However, for several days, signs of a stabilization of the epidemic have been increasing, with a slowdown in hospitalizations and a drop in the number of people placed in intensive care. And the governor announced Thursday that 606 people had died from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the lowest daily toll since April 6.

To the point that this state of nearly 20 million inhabitants, which was desperately looking for thousands of ventilators at the end of March to cope with the influx of patients in hospitals, is now sending them to other states.

Cuomo said Thursday he would ship 100 to neighboring New Jersey, the second-most affected state, in addition to 100 already planned for Michigan and 50 for Maryland.

“We understand better than ever the need to share resources,” said the governor.

Caution and patience

While President Donald Trump is due to announce “directives” on Thursday to “reopen” the American economy, Mr. Cuomo continues to warn against too rapid deconfinement, which would revive the epidemic.

The New Yorkers seem for the moment to take their troubles patiently. “It’s stressful for those of us who have lost our income”, but “you have to know how to take the blows and move forward, that’s what being New Yorker”, reacted Jamie O’Reilly , 31, who before confinement had a company that walks dogs.

“I’m not surprised,” added Christine Rowan, actress. “It poisons us, but it’s kind of the new normal. ”

From Friday evening, New Yorkers will be required by decree to wear a mask in public places where the regulatory distance of two meters cannot be respected, starting with public transport.

Mr. Cuomo also called on the federal state to help establish a massive testing system of the American population, crucial according to experts to ensure a resumption of economic activity without reviving the disease.

Mr. Cuomo is working with the governors of five other nearby states – New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island – to try to define together the conditions for this recovery.

While Mr. Trump had earlier this week said he could force states to restart their economic activity, an assertion contradicted by specialists in American constitutional law, Mr. Cuomo explained to examine, with these five states, how to authorize a restart in a first time the companies and organizations whose activities are the least risky in terms of the spread of the virus.

While waiting for this recovery which promises to be very gradual, the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, called on the American president to ratify a new economic recovery plan, in addition to the gigantic one adopted at the end of March, which would release billions financial assistance for the first American metropolis, already deprived of some $ 7.4 billion in budgetary revenue.

“Whoever wants a national recovery must help the places that will help build this recovery”, pleaded Mr. De Blasio.

The mayor said he spoke to Donald Trump again on Wednesday and told him “clearly that his hometown needed him. “

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