Coronavirus in US: Even as plans for lifting lockdown is mulled over by President Donald Trump data from Centre for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University have reported the number of COVID-19 deaths in the US topped 40,000 by Sunday (April 19) noon, reaching 40,585. The total confirmed coronavirus cases in the country have reached 759,569.

New York which has become a hotspot area in the United States has suffered the most. According to an IANS report that over 14,451 deaths were reported just from New York City. Reports also said that New York state has decided to begin a large-scale antibody testing as an initial step to decide when and how it could reopen its economy amid the health crisis. According to Governor Andrew Cuomo the antibody testing can help determine who has been infected with COVID-19 and then recovered and it will provide an insight into the pandemic.

Other states also reported high fatalities, New Jersey reported 4,364 deaths, Michigan reported 2,308 fatalities and Massachusetts recorded 1,560 deaths.

The pandemic is not just causing human loss but is also economic damage and many industries including agriculture has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic. US President Donald Trump is keen on resuming economic activities by lifting the lockdown. On Friday to aid the distressed agriculture sector he announced a $19 billion rescue package. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) had said that the program will provide $16 billion in direct support based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted by the pandemic.