Coronavirus USA Death Toll, Cases: Numbers Continue To Rise As New York City Becomes Virus Epicenter

The ongoing coronavirus outbreak continues to be a major health emergency in the United States, with the death toll reaching 809 as of Wednesday at 12:52 p.m., ET. There are at least 55,568 domestic cases as of this time.

New York has become the epicenter of the virus in the U.S., with more than 25,000 positive tests and 210 deaths. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is considering whether the state should close parks, playgrounds and streets as a social distancing measure to keep the virus from spreading further.

New Jersey has the second-highest number of cases, at 3,675. Gov. Phil Murphy has urged residents to stay at home and follow social distancing guidelines.

"We must have 100% compliance. This is about public health and it's about people's lives. Your employees' lives, their families' lives, and your life," Murphy said.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has said his state is experiencing the fastest growth in cases around the world, with more than 500 new cases since the weekend. He has ordered state residents to stay at home until April 12.

"We have overwhelmed our stocks of key resources needed for our hospitals, first responders and emergency managers. There will be a long-lasting impact on the state of Louisiana," Edwards said.

President Trump has said that he would like the U.S. to reopen its economy by Easter on April 12.

“You can destroy a country this way, by closing it down, where it literally goes from being the most prosperous," Trump said Tuesday, referring to shutdown measures.

The federal government’s top disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has called Trump’s Easter goal “aspirational” but said the country needs to be flexible based on what happens over the next few weeks.

The coronavirus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, with the first known case in China in November. The virus has since spread around the world, with the World Health Organization classifying the disease as a “pandemic.” There are roughly 460,000 cases and 114,000 deaths worldwide.