Iran Press/America: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a “containment” plan for New Rochelle, the city at the center of the coronavirus outbreak in the New York metro area, in what he called a “breathtaking” outbreak that is “a significant issue”.
The news came as Donald Trump said he saw “no reason” to get tested himself, despite coming into close contact with two Republican members of Congress who have put themselves into quarantine after encountering an attendee at a recent conservative conference who tested positive for coronavirus, The Guardian reported.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal. I would do it. I don’t feel any reason. I feel extremely good. I feel very good, but I guess it’s not a big deal to get tested and it’s something I would do,” Trump told reporters in Washington.
He had just wrapped up a meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill, where he reportedly suggested that two options for a coronavirus economic relief plan would be to waive the payroll tax through the end of the year or make the tax cut permanent.
The president floated at a press conference on Monday evening the proposal for a cut in payroll tax, a percentage of employees’ salaries paid to the federal government.
Then referring to his own health, Trump said: “I spoke to the White House doctor – terrific guy, talented guy – he said he sees no reason to do it. There’s no symptoms, no anything.”
The number of people in the US confirmed to be suffering from coronavirus, and the death toll, are being regularly revised and by Tuesday night there were more than 1,000 confirmed cases, a number which has more than doubled in the last three days, and the death toll had risen to 29.
Politicians on Capitol Hill rejected the idea of shutting down Congress.
But in private discussions, top Democrats and Republicans are considering what to do if Congress needs to shut its doors to avoid infecting thousands of visitors, staff and legislators who regularly flock through its hallways.
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