Grim death toll from coronavirus passes 50,000 in the United States

Grim death toll from coronavirus passes 50,000 in the United States

Kanako Itamae and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The United States death toll from coronavirus (Covid-19) surpassed a staggering 50,000. Of course, the population of America is much higher than the worse hit European nations and countries like Ecuador where the death toll remains unknown. However, this in itself tells the story because death from coronavirus is the current norm.

In the next 24 hours, the international death toll from coronavirus will reach 200,000. Yet, in nations like Ecuador, the death toll is much higher than reported. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, this nation isn’t counting the full death total outside of hospitals. Therefore, unofficially, the international death toll is already well over 200,000.

Negative political sensitivities are noticeable in America between the two parties that control the system. Yet, both main parties are more divided internally between traditionalists and more extreme voices in both parties. Hence, this philosophy is witnessing very different ideas on how to open-up because vast numbers of people fear the economic consequences that they face.

On top of this, the death toll is extremely varied throughout America. Thus, some states seek to open up at a quicker speed than others. Of course, this isn’t surprising because the death toll in New York is alarmingly high.

In the opposite direction, on April 22, the death toll was extremely low in Arkansas, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming, and other parts of America. Therefore, with deaths being 76.2 per 100,000 people in New York, compared with 1.1 per 100,000 in Montana, it is clear that different states face an array of different issues.

With unemployment increasing dramatically throughout America then some states not facing a major crisis seek to open-up. Indeed, this issue divides nations all over the world. For example, South Korea never did a full lockdown but other nations have. At the other extreme, Sweden decided to put social responsibility and economics first despite installing certain restrictions.

President Trump fears the economic impact of coronavirus like other international leaders, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan. Yet, in recent times, a more mixed signal is emerging from the leader of America.

Reuters reports, “A Republican, Trump has given mixed signals about when and how the country should begin to get back to work after weeks in lockdown. This month he called for Democratic governors to “liberate” their states but, in a reversal this week, he told a news conference he disapproved of Georgia’s move to reopen.”

Trump uttered, “I want the people in Georgia to be safe… And I don’t want this thing to flare up, because you’re deciding to do something that is not in the guidelines.”

Overall, despite the death toll being horrendous, the New York angle means that the real picture is very complex. The same applies to other nations. For example, the Lombardy region was hit hard from the start of the coronavirus crisis in Italy. Therefore, while the deaths will continue to grow in the following weeks, it is the economic angle that needs solving along with not giving the coronavirus a chance to spread.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/22/us/coronavirus-death-rates.html

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-usa/as-us-coronavirus-death-toll-tops-50000-handful-of-states-edge-toward-reopening-idUKKCN22621X