U.S. COVID-19 cases top 53,000, Trump hopes to re-open U.S. economy by mid-April

미국 코로나19 환자 5만명 넘겨…트럼프 "폐쇄는 나라 파괴"

The coronavirus outbreak has now infected at least 417-thousand people in some 200 countries worldwide.
World powers are continuing efforts to contain the virus by locking down cities... or even entire countries.
In the United States, despite seeing a rapid surge in patients,... President Trump hopes to have the American economy fully up-and-running within weeks.
Kim Mok-yeon has the details.
The number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has been rising rapidly, topping 53-thousand as of 8pm Tuesday local time.
The figure was reached just two months after the country confirmed its first infection in late January.
The number of infected has been rising nearly 10 thousand a day since last Thursday.
The country's death toll stands at least 670.
Despite the surge in cases, during a town hall on Fox News, President Trump spoke about his hope to re-open the U.S. economy by mid-April,... claiming a prolonged shutdown could destroy the country.
"But we have to put the country to work. Look, you can lose a number of people to the flu, but you're going to lose more people by putting a country into a massive recession or depression."
President Trump said Americans could continue practicing social-distancing, while also going back to work.
Other countries are focusing on their own quarantine efforts.
In India, which has seen more than 500 cases and at least 10 deaths as of Wednesday, a 21-day lock-down has been imposed.
"From 12 midnight, there will be a complete lockdown in the whole country. There will be a total ban on venturing out of houses from 12 midnight, to save India, to save every citizen of India, to save you and your family."
Modi said there were growing concerns about prospects for the virus to spread into India's impoverished communities and the inability of India's public health sectors to cope with it.
In Europe, at least 200,000 people have been infected with the number of deaths approaching 11-thousand.
Italy and Spain are the worst hit, with the combined number of infected patients in the two countries accounting for more than half of Europe's total infections.
Britain, which has seen more than 8,000 cases and over 420 deaths, is looking for thousands of volunteers to help COVID-19 patients in quarantine.
''..We're seeking a quarter of a million volunteers, people in good health, to help the NHS for shopping and for delivery of medicines and to support those who are shielded to protect their own health.''
Britain also plans to open a temporary hospital in London next week to accommodate at least 4,000 patients.
Meanwhile, China's Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, will allow transportation to resume for the city of Wuhan on April 8th, lifting the city's two-month lock down.
Authorities say the decision was made as Hubei saw no new infections on March 19th, a dramatic plunge from the height of an epidemic that's infected more than 80,000 people and killed over 3,200 in China.
Kim Mok-yeon, Arirang News.

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