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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 31 March 2020
‘Staggering’: New York virus death toll rises above 1,200

Continued from Front rus. Gov. Andrew Cuomo health care workers have with no clear evidence is ‘going out the back door’
told reporters the ship will died of the coronavirus, that thousands of medical of New York hospitals.”
State officials expect the relieve stress on city hospi- days after the first confir- masks are disappearing Bar Busted
number of deaths to conti- tals as the massive white med death. from New York City hospi- Police in New York City
nue to rise as the outbreak vessel pulled into a cruise De Blasio announced Sun- tals. have caught the first bar
reaches its projected peak ship terminal off Manhat- day the deaths of Freda At a Sunday briefing, the owner to violate a corona-
in the coming weeks. tan. In addition to the 1,000 Ocran, a psych educator president told reporters virus shutdown by running a
“Whatever the numbers is, beds, the Comfort has 12 at Jacobi Hospital in the they should be asking, speakeasy, according to a
it’s going to be staggering,” operating rooms that could Bronx, and Theresa Lo- “Where are the masks news report on Monday.
Cuomo said. “We’ve lost be up and running within coco, a pediatric nurse at going? Are they going out The New York Post said that
over 1,000 New Yorkers.” 24 hours. Kings County Hospital. the back door?” officers arrested 56-year-
“To me, we’re beyond The ship’s arrival comes Ocran was previously the Those remarks are “insul- old Vasil Pando after they
staggering already,” he as New York state’s death head nurse of the psych ting” to hospital workers on found a dozen people drin-
said. toll from the coronavirus unit at Jacobi and was the front lines of the city’s king and gambling at a
The state has already con- outbreak climbed Sunday working, in part, to support coronavirus crisis, de Blasio Brooklyn sports bar that was
firmed more than 66,000 above 1,000, less than a her mother in Africa, de said Monday. supposed to keep its doors
cases, mostly in New York month after the first known Blasio said. “It’s incredibly insensitive to closed during the crisis.
City. infection in the state. On March 20, Ocran people right now who are It said Vasil was facing il-
There are 9,500 people in Most of those deaths have changed her profile picture giving their all,” he said. “I legal sale of alcohol and
New York currently hospita- occurred in just the past on Facebook to include a don’t know what the presi- other criminal charges.
lized for COVID-19. few days. mantra familiar to people dent is talking about.” A name for an attorney
Hospital Ship New York City, the epicen- on the front lines of the co- Hospitals had warned staff wasn’t listed in court re-
A Navy hospital ship with ter of the U.S. outbreak, ronavirus fight: “I can’t stay early on during the out- cords on Monday.
1,000 beds arrived Monday reported Sunday that its home ... I’m a healthcare break to not take masks The report comes a day af-
morning in New York City to toll had risen to 776. The worker.” Lococo had wor- home with them, but no ter Blasio warned of more
help relieve the coronavi- total number of statewide ked for the city’s hospital evidence has emerged of stringent social-distancing
rus crisis gripping the city’s deaths isn’t expected to be system for 48 years, de Bla- large-scale looting of sup- measures, including fines
hospitals. released until Monday, but sio said. Last week, Mount plies. of up to $500 if they refused
The USNS Comfort, which with at least 250 additional Sinai West emergency Kenneth Raske, president police orders to disperse.
was sent to New York City deaths recorded outside room nurse Kious Kelly died of the Greater New York New Yorkers have “been
after 9/11, will be used to the city as of Sunday mor- Tuesday after a 10-day Hospital Association, said in warned and warned and
treat non-coronavirus pa- ning, the state’s total fatali- bout with the virus. a statement that the wor- warned again” and de-
tients while hospitals treat ties was at least 1,026. Medical Masks kers “deserve better than serve fines “if they haven’t
people with COVID-19, the Medical Workers Death De Blasio and others criti- their president suggesting gotten the message by
disease caused by the vi- Two more New York City cized Trump for suggesting that protective equipment now,” he said.q

Florida officials seek arrest for pastor that violated rules

By TAMARA LUSH and ing.” “Shame on this pas-
CHRIS O'MEARA tor, their legal staff and the
Associated Press leaders of this staff for forc-
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A ing us to do our job. That's
Florida sheriff on Monday not what we wanted to do
sought an arrest warrant during a declared state of
for the pastor of a mega- emergency,” Chronister
church after officials said said.
he held two services with “We are hopeful that this
hundreds of people and will be a wakeup call."
violated a safer-at-home The church has said it sani-
order put in place to limit tized the building, and the
the spread of the corona- pastor said on Twitter that
virus. the church is an essential
Hillsborough Sheriff Chad business. He also attacked
Chronister said in a news the media for “religious
conference Monday that bigotry and hate.”
he was negotiating with The county and governor’s
the attorney of Pastor orders require gatherings,
Rodney Howard-Browne including those held by
to turn himself in to author- faith-based groups, be
ities in Hernando County, The River Church is shown Monday, March 30, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. The Hillsborough County fewer than 10 people to
where he lives. Sheriff's Office has warned the megachurch about violating a safer-at-home order in place to limit the spread of COV-
Chronister added that the limit the spread of coronavirus. The church is continuing to hold Sunday church services despite ID-19.
pastor has “an arsenal of warnings for social distancing in order. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) A live stream of Sunday's
weaponry” and “a vast Associated Press three-and-a-half-hour
security force." law enforcement is highly Church leaders about the Howard-Browne held the church service showed
“We're allowing him to turn trained to handle it appro- danger they are putting services. The Sheriff's Of- scores of congregants. In
himself in. If he doesn't, priately," the sheriff said. themselves — and their fice also placed a digital a Facebook post, How-
then we're going to be Chronister said his com- congregation — in by sign on the road near the ard-Browne said corona-
forced to be police offi- mand staff met with not maintaining appropri- church driveway that said virus “is blown totally way
cers and go get him, and The River at Tampa Bay ate social distancing, but “practice social distanc- out of proportion.”q