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U.S. NEWS Monday 10 august 2020
U.S. tops 5 million confirmed virus cases, to Europe’s alarm

Continued from Front

Much of the incredulity
in Europe stems from the
fact that America had the
benefit of time, European
experience and medical
know-how to treat the vi-
rus that the continent itself
didn’t have when the first
COVID-19 patients started
filling intensive care units.
M ore than four months into
a sustained outbreak, the
U.S. reached the 5 million
mark, according to the run-
ning count kept by Johns
Hopkins University.
Health officials believe the
actual number is perhaps
10 times higher, or closer to
50 million, given testing li-
mitations and the fact that
as many as 40% of all those In this July 6, 2020, file photo, Dr. Joseph Varon, right, leads a team as they try to save the life of a patient unsuccessfully inside the
who are infected have no Coronavirus Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston.
symptoms. Associated Press
“We Italians always saw
America as a model,” said beloved pubs might have a “hoax” or a scourge that want people just drop- gave an upbeat picture
Massimo Franco, a colum- to close again if schools are would quickly disappear ping like flies.” Sunday on CBS’ “Face the
nist with daily Corriere del- to reopen in September. once warmer weather ar- And health officials wat- Nation.”
la Sera. “But with this virus Europe as a whole has rived. At one point, Trump ched with alarm as thou- “We’re going to fight like
we’ve discovered a coun- seen over 207,000 confir- suggested that ultraviolet sands of bikers gathered heck. We’re working hard
try that is very fragile, with med virus deaths, by Johns light or injecting disinfec- Friday in the small South on vaccines. We’re wor-
bad infrastructure and a Hopkins’ count. tants would eradicate the Dakota city of Sturgis for an king hard on testing machi-
public health system that is In the U.S., new cases are virus. (He later said he was annual 10-day motorcycle nes that are portable and
nonexistent.” running at about 54,000 a being facetious). rally. The state has no mask fast. ... We’re working on
With America’s world’s- day — an immensely high Trump’s frequent com- mandates, and many bi- therapeutics,” he said. “I’m
highest death toll of more number even when taking plaints about Dr. Anthony kers expressed defiance so impressed with our sci-
than 160,000, its politicized into account the country’s Fauci have regularly made of measures meant to pre- entists and our doctors and
resistance to masks and its large population. headlines in Europe, where vent the virus’s spread. our first responders and the
rising caseload, European And while that’s down the U.S. infectious-disease Dr. David Ho, director of folks who are attacking this
nations have barred Ame- from a peak of well over expert is a respected figu- the Aaron Diamond AIDS disease, and God bless
rican tourists and visitors 70,000 last month, cases re. Italy’s leading COVID-19 Research Center at Colum- them all.”
from other countries with are rising in nearly 20 states, hospital offered Fauci a job bia University Irving Medi- Many Europeans point
growing cases from freely and deaths are climbing in if Trump fired him. cal Center, who is leading proudly to their national
traveling to the bloc. most. Trump has defended the a team seeking treatments health care systems that
France and Germany are In contrast, at least for now U.S. response, blaming Chi- for COVID-19, decried such not only test but treat CO-
now imposing tests on ar- Europe appears to have na, where the virus was first behavior, as well as the VID-19 for free, unlike the
rival for travelers from “at the virus somewhat under detected, for America’s country’s handling of the American system, where
risk” countries, the U.S. in- control. problems and saying the virus. the virus crisis has only
cluded. “I am very well “Had the medical profes- U.S. numbers are so high “There’s no national strate- exacerbated income and
aware that this impinges sionals been allowed to because there is so much gy, no national leadership, racial inequalities in obtai-
on individual freedoms, but operate in the States, you testing. Trump supporters and there’s no urging for ning health care.
I believe that this is a justifi- would have belatedly got- and Americans who have the public to act in unison “The coronavirus has bru-
able intervention,” German ten to a point of getting refused to wear masks and carry out the measures tally stripped bare the vul-
Health Minister Jens Spahn to grips with this back in against all medical advice together,” he said. “That’s nerability of a country that
said last week. March,” said Scott Lucas, back that line. what it takes, and we have has been sliding for years,”
Mistakes were made in Eu- professor of international • ”There’s no reason to completely abandoned wrote Italian author Mas-
rope, too, from delayed studies at the University of fear any sickness that’s that as a nation.” simo Gaggi in his new book
lockdowns to insufficient Birmingham, England. “But out there,” said Julia When he gets on Zoom “Crack America” (Broken
protections for nursing of course, the medical Ferjo, a mother of three calls with counterparts from America), about U.S. pro-
home elderly and critical and public health profes- in Alpine, Texas, who is around the globe, “every- blems that long predated
shortages of tests and pro- sionals were not allowed to “vehemently” against one cannot believe what COVID-19.
tective equipment for me- proceed unchecked,” he wearing a mask. they’re seeing in the U.S. Gaggi said he started wri-
dical personnel. said, referring to President • Ferjo, 35, teaches fit- and they cannot believe ting the book last year and
Hard-hit Spain, France, Bri- Donald Trump ‘s frequent ness classes in a large the words coming out of thought then that the title
tain and Germany have undercutting of his own ex- gym with open doors. the leadership,’’ he said. would be taken as a provo-
seen infection rebounds perts. She doesn’t allow parti- Amid the scorn from other cative wake-up call. Then
with new cases topping When the virus first ap- cipants to wear masks. countries, Trump national the virus hit.
1,000 a day, and Italy’s ca- peared in the United States, • ”When you’re breathing security adviser Robert “By March the title wasn’t
ses went over 500 on Friday. Trump and his supporters that hard, I would pass O’Brien, newly recovered a provocation any longer,”
Some scientists say Britain’s quickly dismissed it as either out,” she said. “I do not from a bout with the virus, he said. “It was obvious.”q