[Channel News Asia] WASHINGTON: The United States has deployed the National Guard for the first time during the novel coronavirus crisis to help contain the spread of the disease from an infection-hit suburb.New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday (Mar 10) deployed National Guard troops to contain a COVID-19 "hot zone" in New Rochelle, a suburb in New York.
A one-mile radius "containment zone" will be set up around New Rochelle, and all facilities in the zone that hold large gatherings, such as schools and temples, will be closed for two weeks beginning Thursday.
"We're also going to use the National Guard in the containment area to deliver food to homes, to help with the cleaning of public spaces," Cuomo said.
There have been 173 confirmed cases in New York state, including 108 in Westchester County, home to New Rochelle where the majority of infections have been detected.