US coronavirus deaths hit 471, cases over 35,200

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - The coronavirus death toll in the U.S. rose to 471 on Monday, while the number of cases reached 35,224, according to figures compiled by John Hopkins University.

New York City and Washington state -- where the country’s first case was reported in late January -- are the most affected, with 99 and 96 fatalities, respectively.

Cases have been reported in all 50 states of the U.S., as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Johns Hopkins figures exceed the official tally compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which are updated daily but only for cases reported by 4 p.m. local time (1600GMT) the preceding day.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he has activated the National Guard to help New York, California and Washington state in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, where more than 240 people alone have died from the disease.

"Today, I am announcing action to help New York, California and Washington ensure that the National Guard can effectively respond to this crisis," Trump said at a news briefing at the White House.

The president said the federal government will fund 100% of the cost of deploying national guard units to carry out approved missions to stop the virus.

Trump declared a national emergency on March 13 and signed a multibillion-dollar emergency aid package, estimated at $105 billion, to combat the spread of the virus.

The package includes free COVID-19 testing and paid family and sick leave for many Americans who otherwise lack such benefits.

The virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 167 countries and regions around the globe, claiming over 14,750 lives as of Monday, while confirmed cases exceeded 341,300.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a pandemic.