Published 21:38 IST, August 5th 2020
Trump weighs in on COVID-19 in US, says pandemic is “under control”
US President Donald Trump said that the coronavirus pandemic is under control in the country, which is currently the worst-hit nation from the deadly disease
US President Donald Trump said that the coronavirus pandemic is under control in the country, which is currently the worst-hit nation from the deadly disease, with at least 155,000 fatalities. The country surpassed 4.7 million COVID-19 cases on August 5. Trump also claimed that the massive amount of testing in the US accounted for the rise in cases.
He also defended his administration's response to the virus, by saying, "They are dying, that's true. It is what it is. But that doesn't mean we aren't doing everything we can. It's under control as much as you can control it. This is a horrible plague.” On being asked whether he really thinks that the disease is as much under control as it can be, the US President said that they have done a great job, focusing on how different governors have controlled the ongoing health crisis in their states.
“I could tell you right now who the great ones are and who the not-so-great ones are. But the governors do it. We gave them massive amounts of material,” he said. Even with the huge number of infections in the US, Trump stated that his administration has done an incredible job in containing the spread of the virus.
Deborah Birx raises concerns over rising COVID-19 cases
Trump also claimed that they have reported more number of cases because they test on a massive scale. The US President’s view of how well his administration has handled the pandemic comes as the cases in the country continue to rise. These remarks by Trump come after The White House coronavirus task force coordinator, Deborah Birx on August 2 said the virus was "extraordinarily widespread.”
She had also prompted fears of the virus affecting both rural and urban areas, saying that the pandemic has entered a new phase in the country. Birx had also stated that people living with elders or those with underlying health conditions in an area that is witnessing an uptick of cases should wear masks even inside homes.
The US president has been criticised for his handling of the ongoing pandemic. As per several international reports, over 65 percent of Americans disapprove of their president's handling of COVID-19.
(Image credit: AP)
Updated 21:38 IST, August 5th 2020