BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – U.S. governors said Thursday that their states are in dire need of federal help as they struggle to contain the new coronavirus, with Louisiana’s governor saying his state’s health system could be overwhelmed in a week.

As New Orleans becomes one of the nation’s virus hot spots, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said a surge in new cases filling hospital beds with patients could push past the state’s capacity to deliver health care in seven to 10 days.

Edwards warned President Donald Trump of the “worst-case scenario” modeling in a conference call. But he also told reporters that Louisiana was on track for that “sobering” reality if the state’s residents don’t actively work to decrease contact with others – staying home more and distancing themselves from people.

“Our trajectory is basically the same as what they had in Italy. And if there’s anything I said today that ought to get people’s attention, it is that,” the Democratic governor said. “If we are not going to look like Italy in 10 days or two weeks, it will only be because of these mitigation measures.”

Louisiana had nearly 400 positive tests for the COVID-19 disease caused by the coronavirus Thursday, up from 280 a day earlier, Edwards said. Ten people have died.

“My fear, based on modeling that I’ve received today, is that in as little as seven days we could start to exceed our capacity to deliver health care,” Edwards told Trump in a telephone conference the president held with governors that was carried by news networks.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said states need more federal funding and increased access to test kits, ventilators and other supplies to fight the coronavirus.

Hogan spoke on behalf of the National Governors Association at a news conference at his residence in Annapolis, Maryland. Hogan, chairman of the NGA, held a conference call with other governors Wednesday and compiled a list of five immediate needs from the federal government.

“We need all levels of government working together to get through this crisis,” said Hogan, a Republican.

Governors want maximum flexibility for the use of the National Guard and more guidance on how the Defense Production Act will be implemented, he said. The act, invoked by Trump on Wednesday, gives the federal government broad authority to direct private companies to meet the needs of the national defense.

Hogan said governors also are requesting a delay or greater flexibility for completing the 2020 census and the transition to Real ID.

Hogan said Maryland has waived state requirements, so that driver’s licenses won’t expire during the state of emergency in Maryland to prevent crowds at Motor Vehicle Administration offices. However, federal law requires Real ID compliance by Oct. 1. Hogan said governors don’t want people coming to MVAs with the documents they need to present in person to be in compliance.

“Other governors all agreed and said, ‘Yes, that’s a big problem for all of us.’ So, we’re just asking to push the pause button on all these things that require interaction with people where they would spread the disease,” Hogan said.

The NGA also will push for dedicating at least 50% of funding in the phase three supplemental budget that Congress is considering, Hogan said.

The governors will bring their requests to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in a call later Thursday, Hogan said.

“I will then be reaching out to leaders of both parties in both houses of Congress” later Thursday, Hogan said.

——

EDITOR’S NOTE: This content is being provided for free as a public service to our community during the coronavirus outbreak. Please support local journalism by subscribing to The Telegraph at https://home.nashuatelegraph.com/clickshare/checkDelivery.do;jsessionid=40C089D96583CD7318C1C1D9317B6162.

Newsletter