Published 07:29 IST, May 19th 2020
Trump leadership built 'strongest COVID-19 testing', says White House as death toll spikes
As the death of the coronavirus outbreak in the US surpassed 91,000, the White House lauded the country’s “strongest” testing system for COVID-19 in the world.
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As the death of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States surpassed 91,000, the White House lauded the country’s “strongest” testing system for COVID-19. The White House not only claimed that the US is conducting most tests in the world on May 19 but also appreciated the administration for setting “gold” standard for the same. Meanwhile, the US still tops the world in maximum coronavirus infections which have now reached to 1,550,083 with 91,976 deaths.
Under President Trump, we've built the strongest Coronavirus testing system in the world.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 18, 2020
In addition to performing more tests than any other country on Earth, America has now conducted twice as many tests per capita as South Korea, long considered a gold standard for testing.
In the statement, the White House also credited US President Donald Trump to have mobilised “massive response” across the government along with the private sector in the country. According to the US, “being overprepared is a good problem” and it all happened due to the leadership of Trump. However, the US President has faced harsh criticism over vouching for unproven drugs, the swift reopening of country nad not wearing masks.
Trump says he has been taking hydroxychloroquine
Meanwhile, taking his support for the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to combat COVID-19 a step further, US President Donald Trump said on May 18 that he has been taking the drug for over a week to prevent himself from coronavirus infection. During a White House roundtable event, Trump said, “I happen to be taking it” and then added that many other people in the US are consuming the medicine as protection from COVID-19. The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning against the malarial drug and cited reports of ‘serious heart rhythm problems’ in coronavirus patients who were injected with its dose.
“A lot of good things have come out. You’d be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the front-line workers. Before you catch it. The front-line workers, many, many are taking it,” said the US President
He added, “I’m taking it, hydroxychloroquine. Right now, yeah. Couple of weeks ago, I started taking it. Cause I think it’s good, I’ve heard a lot of good stories.”
07:29 IST, May 19th 2020