CCP Virus Death Toll in United States Tops 1,000

An Air Force member exits a tent erected as a makeshift morgue outside of Bellevue Hospital in New York City on March 25, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)

The death toll in the United States from the CCP virus that originated in China has topped 1,000, though the mortality rate remained low, as did the per capita death rate.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Party’s coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

New York City has recorded the highest number of deaths from the new illness in the United States with 280, followed by King County in Washington state, where 100 have died.

New Jersey, Louisiana, and Georgia have all reported at least 31 deaths. Authorities in most other states have reported at least one death, and all 50 states have reported at least one case.

The first death from COVID-19 in the United States was reported on Feb. 29.

A number of cities, counties, and states have ordered residents to largely stay at home, with exceptions for essential trips for food, medicine, and essential work, to try to slow the spread of the new illness.

A sign of proper COVID-19 safety precautions near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington on March 25, 2020. (Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images)

International Comparison

America has one of the highest COVID-19 case counts in the world, with 69,197 as of Thursday. As one of the largest countries severely affected, though, some experts recommend using a per capita rate when directly comparing outbreaks in different nations. Using that comparison, the United States ranks far behind some of the hardest-hit countries, including Italy and Spain.

Italy has reported over 7,500 deaths out of over 74,000 cases, and Spanish authorities said Thursday that its death toll topped 4,000 out of 49,515 infections.

The mortality rate for the new virus differs widely between countries because a quick rise in cases can overwhelm hospitals and morgues, leading to a rapid increase in deaths.

Spain’s mortality rate is currently 7.2 percent, with Italy’s even higher, in contrast to the United States and South Korea, which both have rates around 1.4 percent.

China reported over 80,000 cases in the early months of the outbreak and thousands of deaths, but internal documents obtained by The Epoch Times show the Chinese Communist Party manipulated the figures and hid the true extent of the virus’s spread.

Chinese authorities also pushed other countries not to ban travel from China, a decision experts believe led to the virus spreading widely in some nations.

Some countries have pushed past the peak of illnesses, including South Korea and Singapore. Others, including a number of African countries, are seeing rising case counts in recent days.

Healthcare workers dealing with the CCP virus crisis stand at the entrance of the Fundacion Jimenez Diaz hospital in Madrid on March 25, 2020. (Oscar Del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images)

Virus Prevention

The new illness comes from a group called coronaviruses, which circulate among animals but can, in rare cases, jump from animals to humans before spreading from person to person.

Spread of the virus is believed to occur primarily between people in close contact with one another through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Touching surfaces contaminated with the virus before touching one’s nose, eyes, or mouth is also believed to be a way the virus spreads.

Experts recommend frequently washing hands, regularly cleaning objects and surfaces, and avoiding sick people. Those who are elderly or people with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions should stay away from crowds and consider remaining at home as much as possible.

People who become ill are asked to stay home and contact health authorities or their doctor.

Though there’s currently no vaccine or proven treatment, some existing drugs are being used to treat patients, including a malaria drug called hydroxychloroquine. Many patients get better by self-isolating at home and treating symptoms with basic medicine.