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Trump Projects Much Lower US Coronavirus Death Toll

Steve Herman

   WHITE HOUSE - America's COVID-19 death toll will be substantially lower
   than the 100,000 to 240,000 people previously projected, President
   Donald Trump predicted Friday.

   "I think we'll be substantially under that number," Trump told
   reporters at a White House briefing, suggesting it would more likely
   hover around 60,000 deaths. "We'll see what it ends up being."

   The president also stated that universal testing for COVID-19 did not
   need to be in place before reopening the country, suggesting that
   screening for the virus was not necessary in large parts of the country
   where fewer cases have been reported.

   At the end of March, the president announced a 30-day extension, until
   April 30, of guidelines to slow the spread of the highly infectious
   disease.

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