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New York City has become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, and on Monday additional help arrived in the city. The USNS Comfort made its way to New York to provide relief as cases continue to rise.
The ship arrived at Pier 90 in Manhattan and was welcomed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
“As we gather today, our country is at war with an invisible enemy. We are marshaling the full power of American nation economic, scientific, medical and military to vanquish the virus,” Donald Trump said when announcing the ship would be sent to New York, via ABC News. “And we will do that.”
“This great ship behind me is a 70,000-ton message of hope and solidarity to the incredible people of New York.”
The USNS Comfort contains 1,000 beds, about 1,100 medical staff, a dozen operating rooms, a medical laboratory, pharmacy, oxygen producing plants, and much more that will assist New York and its overcrowded hospitals during the pandemic.
The coronavirus outbreak has led to the cancellation or postponing of many large events including the NCAA Tournament, Coachella, SXSW, the Winter X Games, Stagecoach, Ultra Music Festival in Miami, and more. The NBA, NHL, and MLS have temporarily suspended their seasons.
The coronavirus mainly comes from animals and a majority of those who were infected early either worked at or frequently visited the Huanan seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, according to The Guardian. The virus is similar to Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (Mers).
The Wuhan coronavirus is transmitted from person to person through “droplet transmission.” That means an infected person can pass the virus by sneezing or coughing on another person as well as by direct contact.
While a majority of the cases have been detected in China, it has now reached many countries around the world including the United States. It has also been confirmed in Italy, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and many other eastern countries.
