Coronavirus death toll crosses 16,000 in US, infected cases surge past 460,000
Washington: The coronavirus pandemic has claimed over 16,000 lives and infected over 460,000 people in the US, devastating the country's economy and rendering a record 16 million workers jobless in just three weeks.
Of this, the New York metropolitan area, comprising the adjoining New Jersey and Connecticut, alone account for more than 9,000 and 220,000 cases respectively.
Globally, over 1.5 million people have been infected so far by the coronavirus and the fatalities stands at nearly 95,000. The United States accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the all the COVID-19 positive cases and over 17 per cent of all fatalities.
By Thursday, nearly all of America -- 97 per cent of the 220 million population -- are under stay-at-home order. President Donald Trump has notified major disaster declaration for almost all the 50 States.
In New York City, which is considered the financial capital of the world and has one of the best health facilities, more than 800 deaths were reported in one day alone, taking the fatalities to a record 7,067.
New York Governor Andrew Cumo, however, asserted that COVID-19 now appears to have reached its peak in the city, where the number of new patients to hospitals have started coming down.
Strict enforcement of mitigation measures including maintaining social distancing, he said, is having an impact nationwide.
"As such they now are projecting far less death -- around 60,000 -- due to coronavirus than earlier projections of between one and two lakhs," he said.
It looks like we're at the lower end of the curb in terms of death, which is a terrible word... a terrible, dark word that we've experienced like nobody's ever seen before in this country. We have numbers that are terrible, Trump told reporters during his daily White House press conference on coronavirus.
It is, in the sense of deaths, a bad week. In fact, every day there seems to be a record number of deaths compared to the day before. In fact, New York today had again another record of -- I think the city itself had about 820-plus deaths, said Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a lead member of the White House Task Force on Coronavirus.
At the same time as we are seeing the increase in deaths, we are seeing rather dramatic decrease in the need for hospitalizations like I think yesterday was something like 200 new hospitalizations and it's been as high as 1,400 at any given time. So that is going in the right direction, Fauci said.
The deadly disease, which has forced people to stay standstill, has brought the American economy to standstill.
The air flight traffic has dropped by 96 percent and in just three weeks alone 6.6 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits, a figure which reflects on the dire straight of the US economy.
The latest unemployment figures reflect that the USD 2 trillion relief package has not worked so far. But Trump exuded confidence that the economy is going to bounce back in the coming months.
I think the economy is going to do very well... i think our country, from an economic standpoint, will end up being stronger than ever. We have tremendous stimulus. We have tremendous stimulus plans. We have things in the works that are going to really, I think, fire the country, he asserted.
What's going to happen is we're going to have a big bounce rather than a small balance. But we will be back and I think, honestly, I think our country is going to be back from an economic standpoint, he said in response to a question.
In an interview webcast by the Brookings Institute, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the country needs to have a plan nationally for reopening the economy.
We all want it to happen as quickly as possible, he said.
In an interview to CNBC, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the economy could be ready to reopen by the end of May as soon as the president feels comfortable with the medical issues.
We are going to be opening up weekend opening very, very, very, very soon I hope. Together our people are writing one of the most noble chapters in the proud history of our nation, Trump told reporters at the White House.
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BJP demands withdrawal of plan to acquire KSIC land for stadium
Bengaluru (PTI): The opposition BJP on Wednesday targeted the Congress government in Karnataka over its plan to take over a five-acre land parcel at the T Narasipura unit of the KSIC in Mysuru for the construction of a stadium.
The party demanded that the government immediately withdraw the proposal and safeguard the future of Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation and its iconic Mysore Silk.
In a statement on X, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka alleged that the Congress government’s land acquisition targets Karnataka’s pride: Mysore Silk.
“The Congress government has cast its shadow over one of Karnataka’s most iconic heritage institutions. What generations of visionaries built with foresight and pride is now being jeopardised by a reckless and deeply questionable decision,” he claimed.
Referring to a detailed technical report submitted by the Managing Director of KSIC, Ashoka noted that the report clearly states that the five-acre land at the T Narasipura unit is essential for the corporation’s future expansion, installation of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), and increased production capacity.
“The report is backed by data and operational requirements. Yet, despite this, the government appears determined to take over this critical land in the name of constructing a stadium,” he claimed.
Questioning Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Ashoka asked why the government was “ignoring its own technical experts” and whose interests were being served by what he termed a move to “weaken” a popular, profitable, and high-demand public sector enterprise.
He demanded that the CM explain why a GI-tagged heritage brand is being put at risk for a decision that “raises serious concerns”.
Ashoka claimed that the T Narasipura unit requires nearly five lakh litres of water per day for silk reeling operations.
“Officials have warned that the proposed construction could disrupt vital pipeline infrastructure, potentially paralysing the entire unit. Hundreds of workers and thousands of sericulture farmers depend on this ecosystem for their livelihoods. Is their future expendable?” he asked.
He further contended that under factory regulations, at least 30 per cent of the land must remain designated as a green zone.
Reducing the land footprint could push the unit into regulatory non-compliance, risking operational shutdown. “Is the Congress government willing to compromise legal safeguards and industrial stability for this move?” he asked.
Ashoka stressed that GI-tagged Mysore Silk is not merely a brand but Karnataka’s cultural crown jewel, built during the era of the Mysore Wodeyars and recognised globally for its authenticity and quality.
He alleged that instead of strengthening and modernising the institution, the government appears intent on undermining it.
Warning that Karnataka will not remain silent if its heritage and public enterprises are sacrificed for opaque decisions, he said, “The government must immediately withdraw this move and protect the future of KSIC and Mysore Silk.”
Meanwhile, employees of the corporation have been staging protests, fearing the closure of the factory.
Karnataka Minister H C Mahadevappa recently assured that there was no question of shutting the silk factory at T Narasipura and accused the BJP of “creating unnecessary confusion” over the issue.
