New York Governor Andrew Cuomo

New York Governor Cuomo said he never thought would experience something on the scale of 9/11 attacks again, describing death toll from coronavirus as "almost unimaginable" as the number of deaths over the past 24 hours hit a new high of 779 across the state.

Iran Press/America: "Almost unimaginable to me," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday adding that he never thought would experience something on the scale of 9/11 attacks again. 

He claimed that New York's efforts at social distancing are working to get the coronavirus pandemic under control even as the number of deaths over the past 24 hours hit a new high of 779 across the state, Cuomo said, according to Reuters.

"Don't start doing a retrospective like it's over. We are not through it. It's not over," Cuomo told a daily briefing on the states' coronavirus response, urging residents to stay at home as much as possible.

New York state reports most coronavirus cases in world, overtaking Spain

New York state on Wednesday reported the most coronavirus cases in the world, overtaking Spain, according to a Reuters tally.

The US state has 149,316 reported cases compared with Spain at 146,690.

Italy is now in third place with 139,422 cases reported on Wednesday.

In total, the United States has recorded over 417,000 cases and 14,100 deaths, according to the Reuters tally.

The United States was prepared this week for what one official called the "peak death week" of the coronavirus and saw a record 1,900 new deaths on Tuesday.

European countries, including hardest-hit Italy and Spain, have started looking ahead to easing lockdowns but their coronavirus-related fatality rates have fluctuated after initially showing a decline.

Spain's official coronavirus death toll edged higher again on Wednesday but officials say the epidemic is in a slowdown phase.

Italy imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 9 to slow the spread of the virus and Spain followed on March 14.

New York state required all residents to stay home except for essential business on March 20 and now more than 94% of Americans are under similar orders.

214

Read More:

New York suffers highest single-day coronavirus death toll

Pandemic crisis in US; Coronavirus deaths top 12000 people