COVID-19: US officials warn coming week could be 'Pearl Harbor moment'

From United States President Donald Trump saying the coronavirus outbreak is “under control”, the US officials have started raising warnings for the peak of the pandemic as the national death toll is creeping towards the grim milestone of 10,000. The upcoming days that Trump called “horrific point” of the coronavirus outbreak, other officials have even called it “Pearl Harbour moment” “9/11 moment” while laying emphasis on practising social distancing. 

According to reports, Anthony Fauci, the senior American scientist also raised an alarm for an “escalation” in the pandemic and added that US citizens should be expecting a “bad week”. While talking to an international media outlet, Fauci admitted that the US officials “do not have it in control”. He said that saying that would be a “false statement”. 

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The United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams even raised the bar for warnings by saying the upcoming week is going to be the “hardest and saddest week of most Americans’ lives” while talking to an international news broadcaster. He also added that it will be similar to a “Pearl Harbour moment” and “9/11 moment” for the US citizens but it just won’t be localised.

While the number of infections of COVID-19 spike to 336,830, there are at least nine states in the US that have not issued ‘stay-at-home’ orders, but Adams noted those states are currently producing most of the food supply in the country. However, most of the nation has been issued with orders that ask citizens to remain indoors. Adams, reportedly still wanted the state leaders to urge the citizens to practice social distancing for at least the next seven to ten days. Even Trump said the country will reach a “horrific point” in terms of death.

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"We all know that we have to reach a certain point, and that point is going to be a horrific point in terms of death," President Donald Trump said at his briefing.  

Coronavirus outbreak

After originating from China’s “wet markets”, the coronavirus has now claimed over 69,480 lives worldwide as of April 6. According to the tally by international news agency, the pandemic has now spread to 208 countries and has infected at least 1,274,346 people. Out of the total infections, 264,838 have been recovered but the easily spread virus is continuing to disrupt many lives. Major cities have been put under lockdown in almost all countries and the economy is struggling. 

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(With agency inputs)