Coronavirus deaths reported in nearly half of US states

Spike in cases across US surges deaths to more than 150 in 24 hours

As confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus soar to more than 10,000 across all 50 states and territories in the US, the number of people who have died from the illness has reached at least 150.

That figure includes at least 22 people in New York, 17 in California, and 66 in Washington state, which was the first state to report a Covid-19 patient in January.

On Tuesday, West Virginia became the last state to report a confirmed coronavirus case.

Deaths have been reported in nearly half of all states.

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the death toll had spiked by from 53 to 150 within 24 hours.

Roberta Shelton, the first patient in Indiana to die after contracting the virus, died earlier this week after saying goodbye to her boyfriend via iPad.

The virus also devastated a New Jersey family after 73-year-old Grace Fusco died this week just hours after the death of her son, and five days after the death of her daughter, after the several family members had contracted the virus. Another three members of their family remain in critical condition.

Across the US, many people who died following their illness had underlying health issues, including diabetes, emphysema and heart conditions.

The majority of those who died were older than 60. The youngest people to die were in their 50s. Many lived in nursing homes or assisted-living centres, including an outbreak in a nursing home in Washington state that led to the deaths of 20 people who lived there as well as one person who visited the facility.

There have also been deadly outbreaks among people in other long-term care facilities in Louisiana, Florida and Kansas.

Health officials have more recently warned that although older patients have a greater likelihood of serious illness, hospitalisation or death from coronavirus, nearly half of all patients tracked in a recent CDC report were adults under 65.

Of the report's survey of roughly 500 patients who have been hospitalised following their diagnosis, 38 per cent were between ages 20 and 54.

The report glimpses the first sets of data following cases in the US that do not include people who have returned to the country from abroad and may have been infected through community spread.

Though the number of confirmed cases in the US has climbed in recent days, health officials also have reminded Americans that the actual number of cases — including unreported patients who were not tested and people who have only experienced minor symptoms — may be significantly higher.

Officials have recommended Americans treat themselves and their surroundings as if they are infected or carrying the virus.

Here is a look at the number of cases in states where coronavirus-related deaths have been reported by local health departments, as of 19 March:

California
833 cases; 17 deaths

Colorado
216 cases; two deaths

Connecticut
96 cases; two deaths

Florida
390 cases; eight deaths

Georgia
287 cases; 10 deaths

Illinois
288 cases; one death

Indiana
56 cases; two deaths

Kansas
34 cases; one death

Kentucky
35 cases; one death

Louisiana
347 cases; eight deaths

Maryland
107 cases, one death

Michigan
110 cases; one death

Missouri
24 cases; one death

Nevada
95 cases; one death

New Jersey
742 cases; nine deaths

New York
4,152 cases; 22 deaths

Oregon
88 cases; three deaths

Pennsylvania
185 cases; one death

South Carolina
60 cases; one death

South Dakota
11 cases; one death

Texas
143 cases; three deaths

Virginia
94 cases; two deaths

Washington
1,187 cases; 66 deaths