With an “astronomical” number of cases and emergency workers overwhelmed, New York is preparing for the worst

With his shirt stamped with the coat of arms of the governor of the State of New York, he takes stock of the coronavirus crisis every day. Tuesday, Andrew Cuomo looked grim, sending out a warning message to his fellow citizens: with 25,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus – half of the total in the United States – and 210 dead, New York faces “a drastic increase in the rate infection ”. And with a “doubling every three days” despite the confinement, the American metropolis, which represents nearly two thirds of cases in the state, is engaged in a race against time to avoid a health drama.

Like everywhere in the world, the main objective is to “flatten the curve”. And according to Cuomo, the State of New York is very far from having “flattened the curve” of contaminations. The peak should be reached within “two to three weeks”, and it will be “higher” than anticipated: 140,000 beds may be needed and there are only 53,000 available at present. According to the governor, a first emergency hospital with 1,000 beds being installed in a Manhattan convention center should be operational within a week.

There is still a critical shortage of respirators. New York has 10,000 stock, but it will still need at least 30,000 more, according to Cuomo. And the emergency services mobilized by Donald Trump (the Fema agency) sent… 400. “And you want gratitude for that? You miss the scale of the problem. We have astronomical figures, ”said the governor annoyed. In the process, US Vice President Mike Pence announced the dispatch of 2,000 additional respirators.

90% of patients in the emergency room for Covid-19

On the front lines of the front lines, emergency physicians are already on the go. On Twitter, Craig Spencer, who survived the Ebola epidemic after being infected in West Africa in 2014, tells his daily life at the Presbyterian hospital. “Finally returned home after a 13 hour call. Over 90% of my patients are confirmed or probable cases of Covid-19. Most of them are very sick, some are in their thirties like me. The sirens in an empty New York don’t stop. I am tired. But very honored to return to the emergency room tomorrow morning, ”he wrote on Sunday.

Finally home after 13 hours in the ER. Today >90% of my patients were confirmed or likely #COVID19. Many really sick, some in their 30s like me. The sirens on otherwise empty NYC streets are unending & haunting. I’m tired. But really honored to be back in the ER in the morning.

— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 23, 2020

He continued his story Monday night. “Cough, difficulty breathing, fever. They are very worried about this patient. We have a sincere discussion with his family on the phone. He must be placed on a ventilator. We prepare it. Another patient in serious condition arrives. He is vomiting and must be admitted to intensive care. We intubate them. It’s not yet 10 a.m. Craig removes his mask and glasses briefly to eat. “Where have the heart attacks and appendicitis gone?” That’s all about Covid. “Before leaving, he” cleans everything. Phone, badge, wallet, mug. Everything must be bleached. Don’t take any chances. “

Thank you everyone for your incredible messages of support and encouragement.♥️

Many of you asked what it was like in the ER right now. I want to share a bit with you. Please RT:

A Day in the Life of an ER Doc – A Brief Dispatch from the #COVID19 Frontline:

— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) March 24, 2020

In the Washington PostEmergency physician Michelle Romero describes her “nervousness” when intubating a patient, “because of the exposure and the risk (of contamination) for everyone in the room.” She goes home exhausted and “worried”. With the certainty that the situation will worsen in the next 10 days.

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