New York:The United States is set to become the first country in the world to confirm 1 million coronavirus cases, more than four times the number of infections in each of Europe’s two hardest-hit nations, Spain and Italy.
The seven-figure milestone, expected to be confirmed Monday by Johns Hopkins University, comes three months after U.S. officials detected the country’s first case in Washington state, where a Seattle-area man tested positive for COVID-19 days after returning from Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus is believed to have originated.
Since then, the fast-spreading disease has spread to all 50 states, killed more than 55,000 Americans and forced millions of people into isolation.
Several states are now beginning to lift restrictions even as U.S. officials warn that social isolation needs to continue for months. The Trump administration on Monday was reviewing draft guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for how schools, restaurants, churches and businesses can safely reopen.
“Social distancing will be with us through the summer to really ensure that we protect one another as we move through these phases,” Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
In New York, Gov. Cuomo said each business that wants to reopen would have to submit a plan seeking approval. Speaking to reporters at his daily coronavirus news briefing, Cuomo said the disease is still spreading even though the number of hospitalizations and deaths continues to fall.
“The number is down from the past few days, but that’s no solace for 337 families who are suffering today,” he said, referring to the number of coronavirus patients who died across the state on Sunday.
New testing data suggests that nearly one in four New Yorkers — or about 2 million people — have contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began spreading in the city about two months ago.
Johns Hopkins’ data also shows that more than 100,000 Americans who tested positive for the virus have fully recovered.
Another milestone reached on Monday was the number of confirmed global cases, which surpassed 3 million for the first time.
