NY Gov. Cuomo just sounded the biggest alarm on the coronavirus: 'Deploy the Army Corps of Engineers ... And if you don't do it, you know what is going to happen'

AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, Monday, June 10, 2019 in New York.

• NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivered the strongest warning to date of any major American politician on the severity of the coronavirus.
• Without mentioning President Donald Trump by name, Cuomo's press conference was a stiff rebuke of the Trump administration's response to the pandemic..
• "Deploy the Army Corps of Engineers to work with states to help us build temporary facilities," Cuomo said. "And if you don't do it, you know what is going to happen."
• Detailing the math behind the outbreak, Cuomo said he does not believe New York will be able to "flatten the curve," and that the hospitals will be overrun without federal assistance.
• "I want federal action. You can't have one state taking actions that are different than other states... This is like the reverse federalism. This is a national pandemic, and there are no national rules."
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered a strong warning about the severity and looming crisis of the coronavirus during a press conference Monday morning.

Cuomo, 62, said the math behind the growth of the virus has him concerned about the Empire State's hospital system.

"I don't think we're going to be able to flatten the curve enough to meed the demand of the health care system," Cuomo said, referring to the exponential growth of the virus displayed in graphs that have gone viral in recent days.

Cuomo said between 40 and 60% of New Yorkers will likely contract the virus, perhaps as many as 80%.

With a population of more than 19 million, New York State only has around 53,000 total hospital beds, with 3,200 for intensive care (ICU).

In his press conference Monday, Cuomo was blunt in his assessment that there is only so much the state can do to boost that capacity.

He called on the Army Corps of Engineers to come in and build medical facilities and equip spaces like dormitories to have medical capabilities.

"Deploy the Army Corps of Engineers to work with states to help us build temporary facilities," Cuomo said.

"And if you don't do it, you know what is going to happen," he continued. " ... You have people on gurneys in hallways. That is what is going to happen now if we do nothing."

Although he praised the Trump administration's assistance at one point, he later lambasted them over a lack of an overall federal response.

"I want federal action. You can't have one state taking actions that are different than other states," Cuomo said.

The governor went on to get slightly irritated, saying the American people are right to panic given the mixed messages and lack of coordination coming from the federal government.

"This is like the reverse federalism," Cuomo said. "This is a national pandemic, and there are no national rules... The national news broadcasts today would cause somebody to panic."

Updated with new numbers. The US now has approximately 3,500 confirmed coronavirus cases - and a trajectory that's marching in lockstep with Italy https://t.co/DLsy0mPvAj @dylanlscott pic.twitter.com/yXe1tf9uym

- Rani Molla (@ranimolla) March 16, 2020

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