The U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert has said the next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge in America.
Dr. Anthony Fauci issued a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks, just hours before mask-shunning President Donald Trump addressed a crowd of his young supporters in one hot spot in Arizona, report Lauran Neergaard and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar.
Related: China reported many new coronavirus cases in a single day, WHO warns pandemic is accelerating
Despite controversy over Trump’s comments that testing is finding too many infections, Fauci told a congressional committee that testing hasn’t slowed — and the country will be doing even more.
Fighting for Breath: The pandemic is prompting soaring demand for oxygen. But in much of the world, medical oxygen is expensive and hard to get — a basic marker of inequality both between and within countries. It’s in short supply from Peru to Bangladesh.
Across Africa, only a handful of hospitals have direct oxygen hookups, as is standard across Europe and the United States. And most medical facilities lack even the most basic equipment needed to help patients breathe. Lori Hinnant, Carley Petesch and Boubacar Diallo have this exclusive report.
Global Latest: China appears to have tamed a new outbreak of the coronavirus in Beijing, once again demonstrating its ability to quickly mobilize vast resources by testing nearly 2.5 million people in 11 days. But elsewhere in the world, cases are surging.
- India reported a record daily increase of nearly 16,000 new cases.
- Mexico also set a record with more than 6,200 new cases.
- South Africa has recorded its highest daily death toll of 111 people.
@ AP
