Over 400 die of coronavirus in US, confirmed infections jump to nearly 34,000
Washington: The US has seen a significant spike in coronavirus cases with the total confirmed infections jumping to nearly 34,000 while over 400 fatalities were recorded, even as one in every three Americans has been told to stay home.
According to Worldometer, a website which compiles new cases of COVID-19, till Sunday evening at least 33,546 Americans, including Republican Senator from Kentucky Rand Paul, were confirmed infected with coronavirus while the death toll increased to 419.
Paul was the first Senator to have tested positive for coronavirus and he has gone into quarantine.
Meanwhile, at a news conference in the White House, President Donald Trump identified New York, California and Washington as the three major coronavirus hot spots.
New York tops the list with more than 15,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 5,418 new cases added in the 24 hours alone. As many as 114 people in New York have died of which 58 were reported in a day.
Painting a grim picture, Mayor Bill de Blasio said New York is headed towards a major shortage of essential medical supply in next 10 days.
"We're about 10 days away from seeing widespread shortages. If we don't get more ventilators people will die," he said.
In White House, Vice President Mike Pence told reporters that so far, more than 2,50,000 Americans have been tested for coronavirus.
Trump said that he was rushing all necessary supplies to New York. He has issued Major Disaster Declarations for New York, California and Washington.
"We have large quantities of medical equipment and supplies on the way to those states... Respirators, surgical masks and gowns, face shields, coveralls and gloves in large quantities are already being delivered to Washington and New York," he said.
Trump also said that he has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to supply four large federal medical stations with 1,000 beds for New York, eight large federal medical stations with 2,000 beds for California and three large federal medical stations and four small federal medical stations with 1,000 beds for the State of Washington.
The US president also approved deployment of National Guards in New York.
The supplies en route to California and New York will be delivered within the 48 hours, Trump announced. The president has been holding daily White House news conference for about 10 days now, with each lasting for more than an hour.
Trump said two naval hospital ships were being deployed in New York and Los Angeles, while thousands of surgical masks have been delivered to all these states.
A process is on to massively increase the availability of testing kits, which are fast and quick, he said.
Terming this a challenging time for all Americans, Trump said, "We're enduring a great national trial, and we will prove that we can meet the moment."
Assured the people that he was doing everything possible to confront and ultimately defeat this "horrible invisible enemy".
"We're at war. In a true sense, we're at war and we're fighting an invisible enemy. For those worried and afraid, please know as long as I am your president, you can feel confident that you have a leader who will always fight for you. I will not stop until we win," Trump said.
"This will be a great victory. And it's going to be a victory that, in my opinion, will happen much sooner than originally expected," he added.
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14 injured as J-K protests Khamenei's killing; several curbs imposed to maintain order
Srinagar (PTI): At least 14 people, including six security personnel, were injured on the second day of protests that erupted in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli attack, officials said.
Authorities have imposed restrictions to curb people's movement, shut down education institutes and throttled mobile internet speeds in the Union territory as precautionary measures.
Officials said that 75 rallies were held at various places in the Kashmir Valley, while a few demonstrations were held in the Jammu region as well. Security forces had to use mild force to disperse the protesters in some areas.
Protests broke out in Bemina, Gund Hassibhat, Saidakadal, Nigeen, Foreshore Road and Jehangir Chowk areas of Srinagar city, in the Pulwama town of south Kashmir, and Budgam in central Kashmir -- all of which have a large Shia population, as agitators marched through the streets, raising anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.
While most of the protests were by and large peaceful, clashes erupted at a few places, forcing the security forces personnel to use mild force to disperse the protestors, the officials said.
They said 14 persons -- eight protestors and six security forces personnel -- were injured during these clashes in the Kashmir valley.
Severe restrictions had been placed on the movement of people in parts of Kashmir. The curbs were imposed against the backdrop of a call for a one-day strike given by Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
He had urged people to observe the strike "with unity, dignity, and in peace".
The authorities had sealed Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk with barricades erected all around it, while a large number of police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed across the city to prevent gatherings of protestors, officials said.
They added that concertina wires and barricades were placed at important intersections leading into the city while asserting that these were precautionary measures imposed to maintain law and order.
The authorities also closed all educational institutions for two days, as a precautionary measure for the safety of students and to maintain law and order. Similar curbs were imposed in Shia-dominated areas in other districts of the Kashmir valley. Mobile internet speeds were also throttled across Kashmir.
The MMU's strike call was supported by several political parties, including PDP president Mehbooba Mufti.
"Extending our full support and solidarity with the shutdown call of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the martyrdom of Iran's supreme leader. This is a day of mourning to remind the world that injustice anywhere wounds the entire Muslim Ummah and all who stand for truth," she said.
Police issued an advisory urging all media organisations and news platforms to exercise the highest level of responsibility and professionalism in their reporting.
"Please refrain from publishing unverified information, speculation, or rumours; ensure that all reports are confirmed through credible and authoritative sources before dissemination; and avoid sensational headlines that may create unnecessary panic," the advisory read.
In the Jammu region, a partial strike was observed in Kishtwar and Doda districts of the Chenab valley region, with groups of people holding peaceful protests to condemn the killing of Iran's supreme leader.
The law and order situation across the region remained peaceful by and large, with no untoward incident reported from anywhere, the officials said.
Most of the shops and business establishments remained closed in both Kishtwar and Doda district headquarters and in other major towns in response to separate bandh calls given by religious leaders to protest the alleged aggression of the US and Israel.
The Imam of Jamia Masjid Kishtwar, Moulvi Farooq Ahmad Kachloo, also led a protest rally from the place of worship to the nearby bus stand, the officials said, adding that the protesters chanted slogans against the US and Israel before dispersing peacefully.
Reports of protests were also received from Bounjwa, Drabshall and Chatroo in Kishtwar, Gandoh and Bhaderwah in Doda, they said.
In Ramban district, which also falls in the Chenab Valley region, Shia mourners organised special prayers at Chanderkote for the second day to pay homage to Khamenei and others who lost their lives in the US-Israel attacks.
The Muslim community also held protests at different places in the Rajouri and Poonch districts. Several Muslim organisations have called for a Rajouri bandh on Tuesday after a joint meeting at the local Jamia masjid.
The president of the Islamic Welfare Organisation, Rajouri, Shafqat Mir, said the present situation is quite worrisome and the US, as well as Israel, have crossed all limits of humanity by directly targeting Iran and killing the supreme leader.
Protests and mourning assemblies for Khamenei were also held in the Kargil district of the Union Territory of Ladakh. A large number of Shia mourners assembled at the Hussaini Park in Kargil to take part in the protest.
