News the numbers: March 30—April 5
Stacker distills the week's news from around the world into key facts and figures. Click through to read more about some of the biggest headlines of the last week.
6.6 million unemployment claims filed
A record 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment the week ending March 28, doubling the number of claims filed the week prior, according to a report released by the Department of Labor.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpass 1 million globally
On Thursday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed 1 million globally, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Since then, the total number of confirmed cases around the world has reached 1.3 million. At around 350,000 confirmed cases, the U.S. comprises more than a quarter of the global total.
27 patients aboard 1,000-bed Navy hospital ship Comfort
The U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort, equipped with 1,000 beds and 1,200 crew members, arrived in New York City last week to treat non-COVID patients and alleviate the strain on the city’s healthcare system. As of Saturday, only 27 patients were being treated aboard the Comfort. President Trump in a press briefing on Sunday indicated that the ship could soon be used to treat COVID-19 patients.
Up to 15x markups on medical supplies in New York
According to data provided by state officials, New York is paying up to 15 times as much for medical supplies and equipment needed to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. Masks, for example, typically cost 50 cents but are now being sold for $7.50. New York state accounts for roughly 37% of the U.S.’s total confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Coral Princess cruise ship docks after nearly 1 month at sea
The Coral Princess cruise ship, carrying 1,898 passengers and crew, docked in Miami on Saturday. The ship spent nearly one month at sea after being unable to disembark at its original destination of Buenos Aires, Argentina on March 19. In total, 12 people on board tested positive for COVID-19, two died before docking, and a third died while being transported to a local hospital.
New Orleans sees highest COVID-19 death rate per capita in the nation
New Orleans reported the highest per capita COVID-19 death rate in the U.S. over the weekend, with 32 deaths per 100,000 residents. For comparison, New York City’s death rate is around 18 deaths per 100,000 residents.
