New York Reports Lowest Daily Coronavirus Death Toll since Three Weeks

By Staff, Agencies

The state of New York, which emerged as the worst-hit area in the United States’ outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus, reported 478 new fatalities on Monday -- the lowest daily death toll in the past three weeks.

The new figures put the total number of fatalities in New York at 14,347 -- about one-third of the total of 42,518 deaths recorded in the US.

Monday also saw 4,726 new infections, the lowest daily increase in a month, bringing New York's total up to 247,512 as of early Monday, again, roughly one-third of US total of 787,960.

Announcing the figures, Governor Andrew Cuomo said that the authorities were now trying to estimate how quickly the day-on-day growth in infections and fatalities could decline.

On Tuesday, Cuomo is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump, with the two expected to discuss more federal aid to the state and the US capacities in testing people for COVID-19.

Monday also saw three residents of Westchester County in New York file a lawsuit against the World Health Organization, accusing it of gross negligence in its response to the coronavirus crisis.

Earlier, Trump announced he was suspending the country’s funding for the UN body for similar reasons, accusing it of getting all too cozy with Beijing and failing to alert the world of the danger.