This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/mar/31/coronavirus-us-live-new-york-governor-peak-cases-trump-america-outbreak-pandemic

The article has changed 24 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 7 Version 8
Coronavirus US live: CNN anchor Chris Cuomo diagnosed with Covid-19– live Coronavirus US live: Cuomo says bidding war for ventilators is 'like being on eBay'
(32 minutes later)
The brother of New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, announced his diagnosis in a memo and said he would host his show from home New York governor laments how states and FEMA are bidding against each other to obtain ventilators: ‘What sense does that make?’
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said he believes the impeachment of Trump distracted lawmakers from responding early to coronavirus.
The Kentucky Republican told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt this morning that the virus “came up while we were tied down on the impeachment trial. And I think it diverted the attention of the government, because everything every day was all about impeachment.″
Trump and Republican lawmakers similarly claimed during the impeachment inquiry that the process was distracting Congress from more important issues.
However, it should be noted that Trump was acquitted on February 5, and the president spent the next several weeks downplaying the threat of coronavirus, repeatedly claiming it would “go away” and predicting the US would be “very fortunate” in its fight against the virus.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
New York governor Andrew Cuomo lamented the current bidding wars over ventilators. Cuomo said having 50 states and FEMA simultaneously trying to obtain more ventilators was “like being on eBay.”
Cuomo’s brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo, has been diagnosed with coronavirus. The governor said his brother “will be fine” because of his age and lack of preexisting conditions, but he argued the diagnosis underscored the need to practice social distancing.
Nancy Pelosi emphasized the need for more testing to combat the virus. The House speaker also brushed off concerns about her contentious relationship with Trump, saying they communicate through television interviews and other public appearances. (The pair have not spoken in five months.)
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
At his press conference that ended moments ago, New York governor Andrew Cuomo referred to coronavirus as “the great equalizer,” citing his brother’s recent diagnosis.
Cuomo noted his brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo, was considered an essential worker, so he was going outside more than most New Yorkers and was exposed to the virus.
The governor argued Cuomo’s diagnosis underscored the need for New Yorkers to practice social distancing as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo closed his press conference by criticizing Congress’ response to the coronavirus crisis.New York governor Andrew Cuomo closed his press conference by criticizing Congress’ response to the coronavirus crisis.
Cuomo said the three bills passed by Congress do not provide sufficient funding to New York, which has seen the most coronavirus cases in the country.Cuomo said the three bills passed by Congress do not provide sufficient funding to New York, which has seen the most coronavirus cases in the country.
“God will determine who is to blame,” Cuomo told a reporter who asked whether he blamed Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, a New York senator, for the funding issue. “You and I just deal with the reality.”“God will determine who is to blame,” Cuomo told a reporter who asked whether he blamed Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, a New York senator, for the funding issue. “You and I just deal with the reality.”
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said he is dissatisfied with how the state’s unemployment system is working now as many companies lay off employees.New York governor Andrew Cuomo said he is dissatisfied with how the state’s unemployment system is working now as many companies lay off employees.
“It is not working as smoothly as I’d like to see it,” Cuomo said. “It’s compunding people’s stress.”“It is not working as smoothly as I’d like to see it,” Cuomo said. “It’s compunding people’s stress.”
Cuomo said he was sorry to unemployed residents who are confused on how to obtain benefits. “I apologize for the pain,” Cuomo said. “It must be infuriating to deal with.”Cuomo said he was sorry to unemployed residents who are confused on how to obtain benefits. “I apologize for the pain,” Cuomo said. “It must be infuriating to deal with.”
The governor noted the unemployment claims website is “so deluged” because hundreds of thousands of people are trying to access it, so it has repeatedly crashed.The governor noted the unemployment claims website is “so deluged” because hundreds of thousands of people are trying to access it, so it has repeatedly crashed.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo was asked how the state will determine who receives ventilators if there is a shortage.New York governor Andrew Cuomo was asked how the state will determine who receives ventilators if there is a shortage.
“I don’t even want to think about that consequence,” the governor replied.“I don’t even want to think about that consequence,” the governor replied.
But Cuomo has said the state needs thousands more ventilators for the peak of the coronavirus crisis.But Cuomo has said the state needs thousands more ventilators for the peak of the coronavirus crisis.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the chaos created by a bidding war on ventilators was easily predictable and should have been avoided.New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the chaos created by a bidding war on ventilators was easily predictable and should have been avoided.
“Did you really have to learn that 50 states shouldn’t compete against 50 states, and then FEMA shouldn’t come in late and compete with 50 states?” Cuomo said.“Did you really have to learn that 50 states shouldn’t compete against 50 states, and then FEMA shouldn’t come in late and compete with 50 states?” Cuomo said.
“It’s not like you had to go to the Harvard Kennedy school to learn this,” the governor joked.“It’s not like you had to go to the Harvard Kennedy school to learn this,” the governor joked.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo lamented how many states are bidding against each other to obtain ventilators right now.New York governor Andrew Cuomo lamented how many states are bidding against each other to obtain ventilators right now.
“You have 50 states competing to buy the same item. It’s like being on Ebay,” the governor said. “How inefficient!”“You have 50 states competing to buy the same item. It’s like being on Ebay,” the governor said. “How inefficient!”
Cuomo noted FEMA is now also bidding, further driving up the price for ventilators. “What sense does this make?” Cuomo said, raising his voice in frustration.Cuomo noted FEMA is now also bidding, further driving up the price for ventilators. “What sense does this make?” Cuomo said, raising his voice in frustration.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the state has ordered 17,000 ventilators from China at a price of roughly $25,000 each.New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the state has ordered 17,000 ventilators from China at a price of roughly $25,000 each.
Cuomo said the state’s financial commitment to the ventilators underscores how badly they are needed to mitigate the coronavirus death toll.Cuomo said the state’s financial commitment to the ventilators underscores how badly they are needed to mitigate the coronavirus death toll.
“The last thing I want to do is buy a single ventilator I don’t need,” Cuomo said, adding that the state is “broke.”“The last thing I want to do is buy a single ventilator I don’t need,” Cuomo said, adding that the state is “broke.”
But Cuomo said the ventilators have been “very slow in coming out” due to the “tremendous demand” for the equipment right now.But Cuomo said the ventilators have been “very slow in coming out” due to the “tremendous demand” for the equipment right now.
The governor said he has a “firm expectation” on receiving 2500 ventilators in the next two weeks.The governor said he has a “firm expectation” on receiving 2500 ventilators in the next two weeks.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the state will hit the peak of its coronavirus crisis in seven to 21 days.New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the state will hit the peak of its coronavirus crisis in seven to 21 days.
“This does me no good,” Cuomo said of the estimate. “The range is too broad.”“This does me no good,” Cuomo said of the estimate. “The range is too broad.”
Cuomo also noted that there are ranges in the estimates of how many ventilators and hospital beds will be nedded once the number of coronavirus cases hits its highest point.Cuomo also noted that there are ranges in the estimates of how many ventilators and hospital beds will be nedded once the number of coronavirus cases hits its highest point.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said there was a lesson to be learned from his brother’s coronavirus diagnosis.
Cuomo noted his brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo, was considered an essential worker. CNN said the host was at its New York offices as recently as last Friday.
The governor said he told his brother two weeks ago that their elderly mother could not go over to his home out of concern of spreading the virus.
Cuomo reflected on how his mother could have been exposed if those visits had not abruptly ended. “This virus is that insidious,” Cuomo said.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed his brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo, has been diagnosed with coronavirus.
“He is going to be fine,” the governor said of his brother. “He’s young, in good shape, strong, not as strong as he thinks, but he will be fine,” Cuomo joked.
The governor said he learned of the diagnosis earlier today. “I spoke to him this morning, and he’s going to be quarantined in his basement at home,” Cuomo said.
The governor then reflected on his relationship with his brother. “You see one dimension, you see a person in his job,” Cuomo told reporters. “He’s a really sweet, beautiful guy, and he’s my best friend.”
News of CNN anchor Chris Cuomo’s positive coronavirus test broke as his brother Andrew, the governor of New York, was beginning his daily press conference in Albany.
Andrew is discussing Chris now, but here’s what happened when the two brothers spoke to each other in prime time on Monday night.
Andrew made headlines by repeatedly rebuffing Chris’s questions about whether he will run for president and also determinedly refused to engage with questions about Donald Trump’s handling of the crisis.
But perhaps the most heartwarming section of the interview, mindful of the older Cuomo’s advice that New Yorkers “seek joy” during the coronavirus shutdown, came at the end, when Cuomo the younger discussed his keeping of the secret of their mother’s pasta sauce. Here’s some clips from the transcript.
Chris Cuomo: …Last night I was doing what I do for my family which is make my mother’s sauce. She taught me how to make the sauce, which is something that is very coveted. And she said I can only teach he, not she, he who will carry it on best.
“…I had a picture of her behind me as I always do when I’m cooking in the kitchen, a picture of my mother to remember our bond and how I care for her that she taught me how to make the sauce. She didn’t teach anybody else.
“And she called me and said, is Andrew there? I said, ‘No, mom, I’m all alone here out on the island with my family.’ And she said, ‘Where is he?’ And I said, ‘He’s up in Albany in the house with the big gates and the attack dog. And she said, ‘Oh, that’s too bad.’ And I said, ‘It’s OK, mom. I love him and I’ll make sauce for him, too.’ And she started to cry, and then I said goodbye. That’s what happened.
Governor Cuomo: You’ve always been good at manipulation. You’ve always been the meatball of the family. Look, some of us have to work, right? I don’t have the luxury of working one hour a day. God bless you. I’m happy for you.”
After some more back and forth, Chris Cuomo said: “Stay safe. I’ll talk to you soon. I’ll send you some sauce.”
Governor Cuomo: Love you, brother.
Chris Cuomo: Mom’s secret sauce.
Governor Cuomo: Thanks, thanks. I know. Meatball.
Chris Cuomo: I heard it. It’s a term of endearment in Italian circles, to be the meatball. Please hang up on him now. Thank you very much. He has a lot of work to do.”
Here’s the full video:
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said “nobody knows” when the coronavirus crisis may end, and New Yorkers should prepare accordingly.
“I can say this, it’s not going to be soon,” Cuomo said of when the crisis may start to dissipate. “So calibrate yourself and your expectations, so you are not disappointed every morning when you wake up.”
Cuomo noted the state may hit its peak number of cases anytime in the next month or so.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the state is trying to prepare for when it hits its peak number of coronavirus cases, which will likely come in the next few weeks.
“We’ve been behind this virus from day one,” Cuomo said, arguing officials and hospitals need to prepare for the likely surge in cases.
The governor noted the state is creating a stockpile of medical equipment to prepare for the apex of the crisis. “We are gathering equipment we don’t need today,” Cuomo said. “Because today is not the apex of the battle.”
New York govenor Andrew Cuomo is holding his daily press conference on the state’s response to coronavirus in Albany.
Cuomo said New York has confirmed 172,196 cases of coronavirus and 1,550 deaths, accounting for about half of all deaths in the country.
The governor also noted new coronavirus-related hospitalizations surged to its highest level yet in the past 24 hours.
CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, the brother of New York governor Andrew Cuomo, has been diagnosed with coronavirus.
CNN announced the news in a memo, saying Cuomo would continue hosting his show from home. He was last in CNN’s New York offices last Friday.
The CNN host has repeatedly conducted remote interviews of his brother, who has become one of the most recognizable faces of the US response to coronavirus, since the crisis started.
New York City has seen 932 deaths from coronavirus, marking an increase of 142 since yesterday morning, according to the latest statistics.
The city has also seen more than 40,000 cases, the majority of them being people under the age of 50.
Coronavirus has claimed more than 3,000 American lives, with yesterday becoming the deadliest day of the pandemic for the US yet.
Those figures mean the coronavirus death toll has now surpassed that of the September 11 attacks, which claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 Americans.
Nearly half of the coronavirus deaths have occured in New York, although the state’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, has warned other states may soon see a similar rate of coronavirus cases and deaths.
Trump called on Congress to pay a $2tn infrastructure bill just days after the president signed a $2tn package meant to aid the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In his tweet suggesting an infrastructure bill, Trump mentioned “Phase 4,” an apparent reference to Democrats’ calls for another coronavirus bill after three others were signed into law.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi said yesterday that the fourth coronavirus bill would focus on clean water, rural broadband and infrastructure, among other things.
But Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell expressed skepticism this morning about passing another piece of legislation amid the pandemic.
And of course, Trump’s talks of “infrastrucuture week” have become a running joke in Washington, considering his administration has repeatedly tried and failed to pivot to infrastructure as its main legislative focus.