US Coronavirus Death Toll Reaches 21

The united states on Sunday confirmed 21 deaths from the dreaded coronavirus, Two more deaths reported in Washington state – both linked to a virus-hit care home near Seattle , with hundreds of confirmed cases nationwide.

With the disease already spread across 30 states, Oregon declared a state of emergency on Sunday and 60 million people in California and New York states faced crisis measures.

Anthony Fauci, head of the infectious diseases unit at the National Institutes of Health said Americans, especially those who are vulnerable, may need to stop attending large gatherings as the coronavirus spreads through US communities,

He also said on NBC’s Meet the Press that after initial missteps distributing tests, there should be 400,000 more tests available by Monday and four million by the end of the week..

About 450 US cases have been reported of coronavirus, which originated in China last year and causes the sometimes deadly respiratory illness COVID-19. The outbreak has killed more than 3,700 globally.

More than half of the 50 US states have reported cases, including the first ones in Virginia and Connecticut on Sunday.

Fauci downplayed the likelihood of the type of large-scale quarantines put in place in China and Italy, while saying nothing could be ruled out.

China coronavirus quarantine hotel collapse kills 10

“I don’t imagine that the degree of the draconian nature of what the Chinese did would ever be either feasible, applicable, doable or whatever you want to call it in the United States,” he said in an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes.

“But the idea of social distancing, I mean, obviously, that’s something that will be seriously considered,” he said, urging those most at risk to limit travel.

US Surgeon General Jerome Adams said cases would rise, adding the average age of death for people with the virus was 80, and the average age of those needing medical attention was 60.

“Unfortunately, you are going to see more deaths, but that doesn’t mean that we should panic,” he said.