Coronavirus: US rocked as 10 million join dole queue

More than a million people have now been infected with the corona­virus — and more than 50,000 have died.

New Yorkers wear face masks as the city’s death rate surges. Picture: AP

More than a million people have now been infected with the corona­virus — and more almost 54,000 have died — as the fast-moving pandemic tightens its grip around the world.

The grim milestone underscored the pace and severity of the pandemic as the US and Europe grapple with steep death tolls amid fears developing countries could eventually face even worse devastation.

The news came as the US was once again rocked by stunning unemployment figures, with a record 6.6 million Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week. This followed 3.3 million applications the week before, meaning an unprecedented 10 million US workers have so far lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.

The number of the job losses has fuelled fears that the US faces an economic downturn the likes of which has not been seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

President Donald Trump is expecte­d to soon recommend that Americans begin wearing masks or face coverings in public to preven­t the spread of the virus. The expected call will not be mandatory.

The Texas border town of ­Laredo became the first in the US to compel residents to cover their nose and mouth in public, saying those who do not use a mask or scarf will face fines of $US1000 ($1650) fines.

The rapid spread of the virus in the US has forced the Democratic Party to move its Democratic ­National Convention in Mil­waukee, Wisconsin, from July 13 to ­August 17, a week before the Republican­ National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

But it remains unclear whether it will be considered safe, even in August, to hold the gatherings despite­ their traditional importance in the election calendar.

Figures from Johns Hopkins University showed global infections have now passed one million, with almost 54,000 deaths in 181 countries, although the number is believed to be higher because of under-reporting of infections and deaths in China, Iran and ­several European countries.

In the US, another 1000 people lost their lives in 24 hours, with the number of cases rising to 245,580 on Friday, and deaths soaring to 5650.

In the hotspot of New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo warned that there were only enough ventilators to last for the next six days unless more could be quickly purchased.

“If a person comes in and needs a ventilator and you don’t have a ventilator, the person dies,” he said. “That’s the blunt equation here. And right now we have a burn rate that would suggest we have about six days in the ­stockpile.”

Mr Cuomo has been frustrated by the lack of support from the Trump White House, which has advised him to try to purchase ventilators on the market, including from China.

“I don’t think the federal governme­nt is in a position to provide­ ventilators to the extent the nation may need them,” Mr Cuomo said. “Just assume you are on your own in life.”

Mr Trump said Americans were supporting New Yorkers. “All of America stands behind the people of New York in their hour of need,” he said.

“They need help now, they need people to help them.”

The President hit back at criticism from state governors that he had not done enough to ensure they had sufficient masks, ventilators and emergency supplies.

“Some have insatiable appet­ites and are never satisfied (politics?),’’ he tweeted. “Remember, we are a backup for them. The complainers should have been stocked up and ready long before this crisis hit.”

More than 423 more people died in New York in 24 hours, taking that state’s death toll to 2373, with more than 92,000 cases.

A second hotspot is fast ­emerging in Louisiana, which ­reported a 42 per cent jump in cases in one day, with 9150 cases and 310 deaths.

Governor John Bel ­Edwards said the figures were ­“extremely upsetting”, with many of those ­infected believed to have been involved in the recent Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans.

Democrat Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi said she would create a ­bipartisan committee to oversee how the Trump administration spends a $US2.2 trillion stimulus package passed by congress last week.

Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin said the committee was not necessary, but Ms Pelosi dis­agreed, saying: “Where there’s money there’s also frequently ­mischief.”

Mr Trump hit out at the Democrats, saying it was “not the time for political, endless partisan investigations” that he said had done such “extraordinary damage”.

Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia