New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) speaks during a press Conference at the State Capitol.
Michael Brochstein | Barcroft Media | Getty Images
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he spoke with President Donald Trump on Monday about keeping temporary health-care facilities in New York running in case the coronavirus flares up in a second wave later this year.
Cuomo’s remarks come as health experts and political leaders, including those at the White House, warn that the coronavirus could persist through the fall and winter, and may be even more difficult to combat when flu season begins.
“We’re now talking about the possibility of a second wave of the Covid virus or Covid combined with regular flu season in September, which could be problematic again for hospital capacity,” Cuomo said at a press conference in Albany.
“The facilities that were built, I spoke to the president about leaving them in place until we get through the flu season. God forbid we need extra capacity again,” Cuomo said.
There are more confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the United States than in any other country: More than 968,000 infections and nearly 55,000 deaths have been confirmed, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The outbreak, which originated near the city of Wuhan in China’s Hubei province, has prompted U.S. states to impose strict social distancing policies in an attempt to slow the spread of the disease. Those rules – closing nonessential businesses and ordering residents to stay home – have led to a devastating economic rout.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
CNBC.com
