Trump: US Likely to Lose Fewer Than 100,000 Lives to Coronavirus

President Donald Trump said Friday he expects a far lower coronavirus death toll in the U.S. than the 100,000 projected two weeks ago, but stressed that one can "never be happy" with new projections claiming that 60,000 American lives may be lost.

"We had a number of 100,000 lives, as many as that is, it's impossible to even think of and that was the low end with a tremendous amount of work," Trump said in his daily coronavirus task force briefing. "I think we will be substantially under that number."

Reuters reported that U.S. deaths resulting from the virus topped 18,100 on Friday.

Trump noted that whilte "you can never be happy" with even the lower 60,000 projection, "that's a lot fewer than we were originally told and thinking."

"It showed a tremendous resolve by the people of this country, so we'll see what it ends up being but it looks like we're headed to a number substantially below the 100,000, that would be the low mark," Trump added.

He pointed out that Detroit and New Orleans appear to be stabilizing, and in Washington state, the governor is able to return ventilators and even a field hospital.

"Over time, our guidelines to slow the spread is decreasing th rate of new cases very substantially, and will result in fewer hospital admission," Trump said. "It's because of people doing what they had to do, and working with elected representatives and the doctors and nurses and everybody. Just everybody."

The president also said he's directed Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to expedite aid to America's farmers.

"Secretary Perdue will be using all of the tools at his disposal to develop a program very quickly to provide relief for farmers, ranchers, and producers impacted by the coronavirus," said Trump. "At this time of crisis, we must keep our supply chains moving from the beginning and we are committed to supporting the amazing men and women who produce and supply."

Meanwhile, on the medical front, the Food and Drug Administration has issued 47 permits for emergency use authorization for advancements in testing new ventilator design, innovations in personal protective equipment and experimental medicine.

He added that the administration is now getting very few calls from the nation's governors to seek equipment, as "they are in great shape for the surge of this coming to certain areas."

Trump also said that more than 2 million coronavirus tests have been completed nationally, and 100,000 more are being done every day. Antibody tests are being validated at "breakneck speed," he added.

• Global Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 100,000, Cases over 1.6 Million
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