Massachusetts becomes coronavirus hot spot as cases surge
People wear masks as a precaution against the coronavirus as they wait safely distanced in line to enter a supermarket, Monday, April 20, 2020, in Chelsea, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Massachusetts has become a hot spot of coronavirus infections and is drawing the concern of federal officials and promises of aid from hard-hit New York.
The state’s death toll is poised to double in less than a week to over 2,000.
Officials are scrambling to boost hospital capacity and trace new infections to curb the spread of the disease.
Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that the White House is closely watching the Boston area.
The coordinator of the federal coronavirus task force said officials are “very much focused” on Massachusetts.
