The coronavirus outbreak in New York- which is now the epicenter of the US- will get worse with shortages of key medical supplies, according to the city’s mayor Bill de Blasio . “We’re about 10 days away from seeing widespread shortages.If we don’t get more ventilators people will die,” de Blasio said.. “All Americans deserve the blunt truth,” Mr de Blasio told NBC News, adding “it’s only getting worse, and in fact April and May are going to be a lot worse.” New York now accounts for roughly 5% of Covid-19 cases worldwide and President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of National Guard troops in the three states hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak. Troops will be used in New York, California and Washington to deliver medical aid and set up medical stations after the number of deaths nationwide rose to 471 and infections to 35,244. A bill to fund national relief efforts has been blocked in the US Senate. Opposition Democrats want the emergency stimulus bill, which is worth almost US$1.4 trillion to include more money for state and local governments and hospitals, while Mr Trump’s Republicans are pushing for quick action to reassure financial markets. Photo of Times Square on Lockdown by Matthew McDermot.