THE United States now has the largest number of reported coronavirus cases in the world.

The country has now passed Italy and China, where the virus originated, with at least 85,911 cases as of Thursday - though President Trump questioned the accuracy of the Chinese figures.

12 President Donald Trump said at a press conference Thursday night the U.S. has so many positive cases of the coronavirus because of the amount of testing the country is doing Credit: AP:Associated Press

Additionally, at least 1,296 people in the U.S. have died from the virus.

After news broke on Thursday after the new case count, President Donald Trump said it's a "tribute to" the amount of testing being done in the U.S.

Trump also spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping about the coronavirus.

“Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet," he tweeted after.

“China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus.

"We are working closely together. Much respect!”

Xi told Trump that cooperation between their countries was the only correct to deal with the coronavirus and China was willing to support the United States, the Chinese side said.

The latest developments are:

A second US child has died from the disease

Bill Gates has warned the lockdown could last 10 weeks

80,000 Americans could die says report

New York continues to be coronavirus epicenter

New Orleans could overtake Big Apple with Mardi Gras to blame

New 15 minute test is being sent to FDA for approval

Earlier the President had questioned figures which place China now behind the US when it comes to the number of cases.

"Number one, you don't know what the numbers are in China. China tells you numbers," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"But you just don't know — you know, what are the numbers?"

He said the U.S. is "testing tremendous numbers of people and every day" and "I'm sure you're not able to tell what China is testing or not testing. I think that's a little hard."

Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

12 Trump said it's 'hard' to figure out China's actual numbers, has spoken to President Xi Credit: AP:Associated Press

The President repeated his call for America to get back to work as early as possible.

"They [the American people] have to go back to work, our country has to go back, our country is based on that and I think it's going to happen pretty quickly.

"We may take sections of our country, we may take large sections of our country that aren't so seriously affected and we may do it that way."

He added: "A lot of people misinterpret when I say go back - they're going to be practising as much as you can social distancing, and washing your hands and not shaking hands and all of the things we talked about."

The President argued the coronavirus is likely more prevalent than the numbers report because so many people have it but don't go to a doctor.

“It's one thing to have it. It's another thing to die," the president said at his daily White House coronavirus briefing.

“When I first got involved I was told numbers much higher than the number that seems to be.

“Remember that people that have it - I just spoke to two people who had but never went to a doctor. They didn't report it. "You have thousands and hundreds of thousands of cases like that.”

81,000 DEATHS IN US

New research has predicted the pandemic could kill more than 81,000 people in the United States in the next four months and may not subside until June.

According to a data analysis done by University of Washington School of Medicine, the number of hospitalized patients is expected to peak nationally by the second week of April, though the peak may come later in some states.

Some people could continue to die of the virus as late as July, although deaths should be below epidemic levels of 10 per day by June at the latest, according to the analysis.

Across the globe, more than 536,000 people have been infected and over 24,000 people have died.

Italy has reported almost 81,000 cases and China has reported nearly 82,000.

12 An empty Fifth Avenue in New York City Credit: Splash News

12 A shut-down Yankee Stadium pictured on what was supposed to be baseball's opening day Credit: AP:Associated Press

12 New Yorkers are urged to stay home to help stop the spread of the coronavirus Credit: Rex Features

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams has warned that America could become worse than Italy if people do not take coronavirus social distancing seriously.

"I'm heartened by the people around the country who are doing the right thing, but we're still seeing far too many pictures of people out there doing the wrong things," Adams said in an interview with Fox News.

"Playing basketball, out on beaches. We need America to understand that we still could be like Italy. We could be worse than Italy if we don't participate in these 15 days to stop the spread."

Adams said that Trump outlined an optimistic timeline for Americans in an effort to "help people understand that there is a light at the end of this tunnel."

He added: "And when you look at China, when you look at South Korea, their curve was about two to two and a half months."

"So there is hope that if we continue to lead into the mitigation efforts and we're two-thirds of the way through this 15 days to stop the spread initiative, that we can flatten the curve and that we can get to the end of this more quickly."

The warning was issued as nearly one-third of Americans awoke to "stay at home orders."

12 Workers in military outfits built a makeshift morgue outside Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan to deal with a potential surge of coronavirus victims Credit: The Mega Agency

12 Ambulances pictured waiting outside a hospital in New York City on Thursday Credit: EPA

New York reported that more than 100 people died from the virus over the span of a day, bring the state's death count to 385.

Almost 40,000 people were infected — 21,000 cases in New York City alone.

A 1000 bed navy hospital ship is on its way to the city to treat non-coronavirus patients in a bid to free up beds.

The Big Apple is the center of the United States’ coronavirus outbreak.

Hospitals in the state are overwhelmed and medical professionals are lacking personal protective equipment as they treat coronavirus patients.

“This is going to form a new generation, and it will transform who we are and how we think,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters during a press conference. “But no one is alone.”

Cuomo said that in New York, at least 122,000 people have been tested for the coronavirus and there have been more than 37,200 confirmed cases.

The governor said 5,327 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized statewide as of Thursday, with 1,290 of them in intensive care. He said 1,517 people have been discharged.

12 Medical staff attend to patients at a makeshift hospital in Wuhan, China Credit: EPA

12 First responders pictured transporting a woman on a stretcher in Bloomington, Indiana Credit: Getty Images - Getty

12 Health officials say Mardi Gras may have been to blame for spreading the virus Credit: AP:Associated Press

The governor said New York State needs an “astronomical” number of ventilators which he described as “our single biggest challenge.”

As of Thursday, New York had around 12,000 ventilators, thousands of which were sent by the federal government in recent days, but the governor said the state needs around 18,000 more.

Cuomo said officials are working on converting anesthesia machines into ventilators — and said they’re working on creating “split” ventilators that allow two patients to use one piece of equipment.

The governor described it as “not ideal,” but “workable.”



THE NEXT EPICENTER?

The city of New Orleans, in Louisiana, is on a path to become the country's next epicenter of the outbreak — and Mardi Gras celebrations might be to blame.

As of Thursday, Louisiana had 2,305 coronavirus cases reported, with at least 83 deaths, and 997 confirmed cases were in the New Orleans metro area.

The massive growth rate of cases puts New Orleans “on the trajectory to become the epicenter for the outbreak in the United States,” according to Dr. Rebekah Gee, a health professional in the state.

New Orleans is the biggest city in Louisiana and is known for its famed Mardi Gras celebration, which draws more than an estimated one million tourists each year.

12 Revelers pictured enjoying Mardi Gras celebrations on Bourbon Street last month Credit: AP:Associated Press

12 The annual celebration draws more than one million tourists to Louisiana's biggest city Credit: AP:Associated Press

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Gee, who oversees Louisiana State University’s health care services division, told Reuters: “Mardi Gras was the perfect storm, it provided the perfect conditions for the spread of this virus.”

Health officials continue to urge people to stay in their homes and avoid going outside to help stop the spread of the virus.

Experts say to stay at least six feet away from other people, so as not to spread germs, and recommend washing hands frequently.

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