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July 2, 2020

As U.S. Deaths Top 128,000, Trump Predicts Coronavirus Will "Sort of Just Disappear"
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The official U.S. death toll from COVID-19 has now topped 128,000, with
nearly 2.7 million confirmed cases - the worst levels in the world, by
far, though public health officials say both figures are significant
undercounts. On Wednesday, President Trump once again claimed the
coronavirus would soon "disappear."

President Donald Trump: "And I think we're going to be very good with
the coronavirus. I think that at some point that's going to sort of just
disappear, I hope."

Trump, who has repeatedly refused to wear a mask in public, said, "I'm
all for masks, I think masks are good" - but said he doubted a national
mandate is needed.

This comes as a new study by the Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs found a
federal mask mandate could slow the rate of coronavirus infection and
prevent new lockdowns, avoiding a 5% drop in gross domestic product
worth a staggering $1 trillion to the U.S. economy.

On Wednesday, Pennsylvania's health secretary signed an order requiring
all state residents to wear masks in public spaces.


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