U.S. Coronavirus Update, Map as Death Toll Tops 11,000, Surgeon General Says 2 Million Tests Completed By End of Week

Novel coronavirus cases in the U.S. have climbed past 368,500, including a death toll of more than 11,000, while nearly 20,000 have reportedly recovered from infection. That's according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.

The virus, which was first reported in Wuhan, China, has infected more than 1.3 million people around the world, including in the U.S., which remains the epicenter of the outbreak. More than 292,400 have recovered from infection, while over 76,400 have died.

Cases in New York continue to soar but New York Governor Andrew Cuomo indicated the first sign of a potential slowing of the spread on Monday.

New Jersey, the second worst-hit state in the country, also began to see a flattening of the curve, as its rate of new cases was reported to have dropped on Monday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy confirmed.

The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Dr. Anthony Fauci, said at a White House press briefing on Monday: "If we start seeing now a flattening or stabilization of cases...[that] doesn't take away from the fact that tomorrow or the next day is going to look really bad. So we've got to make sure we realize we're always talking about a two-and-a-half-week lag."

He added: "But the best tool we have is mitigation. We know it worked in other countries, and we're seeing how it's working here. So if we really want to make sure that we don't have these kinds of rebounds that we're worried about, it's mitigation, mitigation, mitigation."

Two million tests to be completed in the U.S.

The country will have completed two million virus tests by the end of the week, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams confirmed on Tuesday.

"We are going to be at two million tests this week and it's rapidly ramping up with the commercial industry coming on board. We're also seeing more people doing antibody testing," Adams said on CBS.

"I've talked with Admiral Giroir [Brett P. Giroir, the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health]...he assures me that by the end of this month we should be not only doing just diagnostic testing but also having good surveillance testing across the country.

"We are, in fact, doing surveillance testing in some parts of the country where they haven't seen a big increase in cases. We're not there yet. But we're moving in the right direction," he added.

Earlier this week at a White House press briefing on Sunday, President Donald Trump claimed the country "has now tested and given results—gotten results of 1.67 million people."

He added that by Tuesday, "1,200 brand-new rapid point-of-care testing kits" would be produced and they'll be distributed to all public health labs, adding that more would be produced on a weekly basis.

New York may be seeing "possible flattening of the curve"

• New York has reported at least 130,689 cases.

• New York City has at least 72,181 confirmed cases as of Monday.

• New York's death toll has reached at least 4,758.

• The death toll in New York state remained "effectively flat for two days," increasing by less than 10 percent for the second consecutive day.

• The number of hospitalizations, patients being admitted to ICU (intensive care units) and intubations have dropped.

"Those are all good signs and, again, would suggest a possible flattening of the curve," Governor Cuomo said.

He also warned: "I get that people are cooped up....but [if] we get reckless, we change and we're not compliant on social distancing, you'll see those numbers go up again."

Proceeding with caution, Cuomo extended the state's current lockdown measures (the "New York State on PAUSE" executive order) for another two weeks. The measures require schools and non-essential businesses to remain closed, while residents are required to remain at home and follow social distancing guidelines.

"This virus is an enemy that the entire country underestimated from day one and we have paid the price dearly. While the numbers look like they may be turning, now is not the time to be lax with social distancing—that would be a mistake and we all have a responsibility and a societal role in this," Cuomo said at the press briefing on Monday.

"As I said from day one, I am not going to choose between public health and economic activity, and to that end I am extending all New York State on Pause functions for an additional two weeks."

The graphic below, provided by Statista, shows the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, the disease caused by the new strain of coronavirus, in a selection of states.

U.S. death toll passes 11,000

• The U.S. has the third-highest number of deaths in the world, behind Italy (16,523 fatalities) and Spain (13,798 fatalities).

• The combined number of deaths in New York and New Jersey (1,003 fatalities, as of Monday, according to the New Jersey state department website), is nearly 6,000.

• New York City alone has at least 3,485 deaths.

• A combined total of more than 1,200 deaths have been reported in Michigan (727 deaths) and Louisiana (512 deaths), according to their respective state departments of health.

On April 6, the U.S. saw over 1,200 deaths in a day, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The death toll in the U.S. is predicted to be the highest in the world within a week, according to new projections.

The U.S. has now also reportedly seen nearly 20,000 people recover from infection, as of Monday, but the official count has yet to be released by the CDC.

California expects virus peak in May

While cases in California continue to grow, the rate of hospitalizations and intensive care admissions in California both increased by less than five percent over the weekend. There are at least 16,363 confirmed cases and 347 deaths reported across the state.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said "stay at home" orders are proving to be successful and a peak in cases is projected for May.

"Just in ICU and hospitalizations, the two most critical numbers from our perspective, that growth has been steady. And if you extend that out, we are looking at a path into May before we peak," he said at a press conference on Monday.

"That [stay at home orders] will give us the time, well within the next few weeks, to have enough ventilators, we believe, to meet the needs of 40 million Californians that may be vulnerable to this virus," he said.

In view of states in more immediate need of resources, such as New York, Newsom announced California is lending 500 ventilators to the Strategic National Stockpile inventory.

"California is stepping up to help our fellow Americans in New York and across the country who are being impacted the hardest right now by the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

"We still have a long road ahead of us in the Golden State— and we're aggressively preparing for a surge—but we can't turn our back on Americans whose lives depend on having a ventilator now. We're meeting this moment with compassion," he said.

"These [ventilators] are lent. They are not given," Newsom emphasized at the news conference on Monday, noting that they are being lent on the condition that they would be returned if California is in need of them.

The graphic below, provided by Statista, illustrates the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S.

Data on COVID-19 cases is from Johns Hopkins University unless otherwise stated.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advice on Using Face Coverings to Slow Spread of COVID-19

• CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering in public where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
• A simple cloth face covering can help slow the spread of the virus by those infected and by those who do not exhibit symptoms.
• Cloth face coverings can be fashioned from household items. Guides are offered by the CDC. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html)
• Cloth face coverings should be washed regularly. A washing machine will suffice.
• Practice safe removal of face coverings by not touching eyes, nose, and mouth, and wash hands immediately after removing the covering.

World Health Organization advice for avoiding spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Hygiene advice

• Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
• Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste.
• Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.

Medical advice

• Avoid close contact with others if you have any symptoms.
• Stay at home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and runny nose, to avoid potential spread of the disease to medical facilities and other people.
• If you develop serious symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and contact local health authorities in advance.
• Note any recent contact with others and travel details to provide to authorities who can trace and prevent spread of the disease.
• Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.

Mask and glove usage

• Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person.
• Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
• Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning.
• Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask.
• Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of the mask.
• Do not reuse single-use masks.
• Regularly washing bare hands is more effective against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves.
• The COVID-19 virus can still be picked up on rubber gloves and transmitted by touching your face.