New Orleans on its way to becoming the center of the coronavirus epidemic in the US

(Patria) – New Orleans is on its way to becoming the next epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic in the US, debunking speculation that warmer climates do not favor the virus.

New Orleans has the fastest growing number of coronavirus cases. Authorities have already warned that hospitals can only cope until April 4, which breeds additional fear – that the collapse of the health system could lead to an even faster spread of the epidemic in the southern parts of the country.

New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, which is the third US state by the number of infected people, right after New York and Washington. In the last 24 hours, the number of infections has increased by 30%.

US President Donald Trump has approved federal aid funds for the state severely affected by the epidemic.

Reuters writes that about 70% of the infected in the state of Louisiana, which is 1,795 confirmed cases, are located in the New Orleans metro area.

The cause of the rapid spread of infection in that city is seen by many in the Mardi Gras carnival held on February 25, when the virus was already present in the US. The carnival gathered a crowd of citizens and about 1.5 million tourists, which medical experts now see as the moment that triggered the avalanche.