Coronavirus cases ‘will surge in their thousands by NEXT WEEK’ and three ‘critical’ weeks were lost in containing the spread because CDC tests failed
Dr Matt McCarthy, who works at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, says coronavirus cases will surge into the thousands by next week
He also claims he doesn’t have the tools to properly care for patients because of the lack of coronavirus tests being made available to hospitals
Health officials have been scrambling to get their own coronavirus testing kits up and running after getting stuck with faulty tests from the federal government
Scott Gottlieb, who is the former FDA commissioner said three critical weeks were lost in trying to contain the spread of coronavirus in the U.S. because of the faulty tests
It comes as New York Gov Andrew Cuomo confirmed on Sunday that a healthcare worker in her 30s was the first confirmed case in the state
The total number of U.S. cases has now soared to 89 as authorities confirmed that the first two people had died in Washington state after contracting coronavirus
By EMILY CRANE
DAILYMAIL.COM
2 March 2020
A New York doctor has warned coronavirus cases in the United States will surge into the thousands by next week after a female healthcare worker in her 30s became the first confirmed case in the state.
Dr Matt McCarthy, who is a staff physician at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan, also claimed he doesn’t have the tools to properly care for patients because of the lack of coronavirus tests being made available to hospitals.
Health officials in New York have been scrambling to get their own coronavirus testing kits up and running after getting stuck with faulty tests from the federal government that they said left them unable to diagnose people quickly.
Dr McCarthy told CNBC’s Squawk Box on Monday that the bungled test distribution was a ‘national scandal’ and claimed New York had only been able to properly carry out 32 tests so far.
‘We hear it’s coming very soon but I’m hear to tell you that at one of the busiest hospitals in the country, I don’t have it at my finger tips. I still have to call the department of health, I still have to make my case and plead to test people,’ he said.
‘This is not good. We know that there are 88 cases in the United States. There are going to hundreds by middle week, there’s going to be thousands by next week. This is a testing issue.’
Female healthcare worker, 39, has become the first confirmed case of coronavirus in New York and is currently isolated in her Manhattan apartment
Officials confirmed over the weekend that two people had died in Washington after contracting coronavirus
The total number of coronavirus cases in the United States has now soared to 89
Florida late Sunday declared a public health emergency as it confirmed its first two cases and Rhode Island was hit with its first case
Panic buying hit New York and other parts of the country over the weekend with anxious shoppers clearing supermarket shelves as they stock up on food and medical supplies
Health officials have been scrambling to get their own coronavirus testing kits up and running after getting stuck with faulty tests from the federal government
The coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year, has decimated global markets as it quickly moves around the world
He said the infectious disease team at his hospital, one of the busiest in the country, were equipped to deal with the outbreak but were crippled by the lack of diagnostic tests being made available by the government.
‘Keep in mind in New York state the person who tested positive is only the 32nd test we’ve done in this state. That is a national scandal,’ he said.
‘They’re testing 10,000 a day in some countries and we can’t get this off the ground.
‘I’m a practitioner on the firing line and I don’t have the tools to properly care for patients today.’
Scott Gottlieb, who is the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, also told CNBC that three critical weeks were lost in trying to contain the spread of coronavirus in the U.S. because of the faulty tests.
It comes as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed on Sunday that a healthcare worker in her 30s was the first confirmed coronavirus case in the state.
She is thought to have contracted the coronavirus in Iran and is now currently self-quarantined in her Manhattan home.
It is not known what airport she flew into and how long ago she returned to the U.S. but authorities say she showed no symptoms of the virus when she arrived back in the city.
Health authorities had previously tested more than 30 New York patients who have reported symptoms consistent with the virus, but until now each suspected case had proven to be a false alarm.
The Rest…HERE
