Published 17:05 IST, August 2nd 2020
Donald Trump opposes Anthony Fauci's reasoning of surge in COVID-19 cases in US
US President Donald Trump dismissed the claims made by country’s top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci over his explanation of surge in COVID-19 cases.
- World News
- 3 min read
US President Donald Trump dismissed the claims made by country’s top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci over his explanation of surge in coronavirus cases. Trump and Fauci have expressed opposing views at various instances while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. But recently, after claiming to share a ‘good relationship’ with Fauci, US President retweeted former’s video explaining the difference between the US and European countries and stressed that it is ‘wrong’.
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Fauci noted that European countries closed 95 per cent of their economy but the United States only shut it by 50 per cent. Therefore, according to him, the COVID-19 cases in the US are drastically spiking.
However, Trump did not agree with the remarks made by US’s most trusted medical adviser and said that the US has recorded more coronavirus cases because they have conducted more tests than any other nation across the globe. The US President claimed that America has conducted at least 60 million tests for COVID-19 and that Europe is now recording a surge in cases. Siding with most of the governors, Trump said the country will bounce back stronger.
Struggling to maintain a positive image amid the coronavirus outbreak, Trump recently joked about how Fauci and other medical professional are “highly thought of” but not him. In the coronavirus press briefing on July 28, Donald Trump said that US top infectious disease expert has “got this high approval rating” and questioned why doesn’t he have the same popularity. Then he went on to say “nobody likes me, that’s all”. Trump’s remarks came in the backdrop of plunging approval ratings with majority showcasing disbelief in his handling of COVID-19 pandemic, that too, just months before November elections.
US CDC predicts 20,000 more deaths
Meanwhile, as the coronavirus contagion continues to tighten its grip on the United States, the country has reported more deaths related to COVID-19 than anywhere else in the world and moreover, the updated models forecast 20,000 more Americans could die in just next three weeks. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report which predicts 168,000 to 182,000 total COVID-19 deaths will be reported by August 22. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started impacting the US, it has caused at least 154, 449 deaths and the total infections have now surpassed over 4.6 million as per Johns Hopkins University tally.
CDC said in a statement, “This week’s national ensemble forecast predicts that weekly reports of new COVID-19 deaths may increase over the next month, with 5,000 to 11,000 new deaths reported during the week ending August 22. The ensemble forecast predicts that 168,000 to 182,000 total COVID-19 deaths will be reported by August 22.”
Updated 17:05 IST, August 2nd 2020